Chris Pine Whiffed On A Role In ‘The O.C.’ Because Of Looks, Casting Director Claims

Bruce Haring

2 December 2023 at 2:15 pm·1-min read

Way before his glamorous starring role as Admiral James T. Kirk in Star Trek, Chris Pine missed a role because of his looks.

In the early 2000s, he was in the running for the role of Ryan Atwood on the teen drama The O.C. But casting director Patrick Rush passed because of a common teenage problem.

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Rush was interviewed for Alin Sepinwall’s new book Welcome To The O.C.: The Oral History.

“I hate saying this, but it’s the truth: Chris Pine was at the age where he was experiencing really bad skin problems. And it was at that point where it looked insurmountable,” Rush said. “As a kid who grew up with horrible skin, it just broke my heart. But Chris Pine’s fine now. He’s all right.”

Ben McKenzie won the role, but Pine soldiered on. He appeared on shows like ER and CSI: Miami, then made his major film debut opposite Anne Hathaway in 2004’s The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.

From there, it was on to Star Trek and stardom.

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Chris Pine Whiffed On A Role In ‘The O.C.’ Because Of Looks, Casting Director Claims

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