Benjamin McKenzie Archives

Benjamin McKenzie keeps warm by wearing a long coat over his cop uniform during a film break on the set of Southland on Thursday (April 23) in Boyle Heights, Calif.

Other pictures include stills from tonight’s episode of Southland, “See the Woman.” Ben (McKenzie) reveals details of his past that explain his motivation to be a cop. Meanwhile, Chickie questions her partnership with Dewey when the latter becomes starstruck and fails to do his job.

Southland airs TONIGHT (April 23) @ 10PM ET/PT on NBC. 15+ pics inside… More Here! »

Last week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben McKenzie, who was one of best interviewees ever — easygoing, funny and candid. The 30-year-old actor talked about being single (yes, ladies, I said single), keeping in touch with his costars from The O.C., and his new cop drama, Southland, which premieres tonight on NBC! Check it:

JJ: Hi, Ben! Big fan. Are you familiar with JustJared.com at all?

BM: Yup! A friend referred me over, so thanks for the nice things!

JJ: Do you go online a lot? Are you computer savvy?

BM: I’m not particularly computer savvy. No Facebook or MySpace. I’m on there but I’m not there. Other people have created accounts for me I understand. I don’t even know how to work them! I’m only hip circa 1994 with email. (laughs)

JJ: Congratulations on your new series coming out. Can you tell us what your character’s like?

BM: Thank you! Sure. I play a rookie patrol officer named Ben Sherman who is about a month out of the academy. He has the makings of a good cop on paper but is a little inexperienced when it comes to the streets. He’s a little wet behind the ears and has a little growing to do. His training officer, John Cooper (played with Michael Cudlitz) is pretty unforgiving and puts him through the ringer in the pilot. The first episode is largely about my character trying to prove himself and to John that he has what it takes to be a copy.

(Click inside to continue reading Ben McKenzie’s interview…)
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Benjamin McKenzie takes a break from filming the new NBC TV series, Southland on Thursday (March 19) in Hollywood, Calif.

The 30-year-old former O.C. star now plays a rookie officer, Ben Sherman, who must learn the perils of the job while he is trained by officer John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz).

Also recently, McKenzie is featured in the 8-minute short The Eight Percent.

Click here for a preview of the Southland, which premieres Thursday, Apr. 9 10/9c.

10+ pictures inside of Benjamin McKenzie stewing in Southland…

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Ben McKenzie prepares for a scene in the 8-minute film The Eight Percent, about two high school exes who meet up ten years later on an awkward date.

The short is one of five films that were selected to screen on Delta.com/flyinmovies - the film with the highest number of audience votes gets a special screening at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Watch the film at Delta.com and then support the film on Facebook or on director Alexander Poe’s blog.

30+ pictures inside of Eight Percent of Ben McKenzie… More Here! »

Former O.C. stud Benjamin McKenzie stars as young rookie Ben Sherman in the new NBC drama called Southland.

The show is a raw and authentic look at the police unit in Los Angeles. From the beaches of Malibu to the streets of East Los Angeles, Southland is a series that will take viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families.

Southland will debut on @ 10PM ET/PT on Thursday, April 9 on NBC.

Also pictured: Michael Cudlitz, Regina King, Tom Everett Scott, Michael McGrady, Kevin Alejandro, Shawn Hatosy and Arija Bareikis.

Former O.C. star Benjamin Mckenzie gives a great big smile at the NBC Universal Pre-Super Bowl event at Portofino Bay Hotel on Saturday (January 31) in Orlando, Fla.

Ben, 30, plays young rookie Ben Sherman in the upcoming NBC crime drama. Michael Cudlitz (A River Runs Through It) plays John Cooper a seasoned Los Angeles cop assigned to train Ben. Cooper’s honest, no-nonsense approach to the job leaves Sherman questioning whether or not he has what it takes to become a police officer.

Southland will debut on @ 10PM ET/PT on Thursday, April 9 on NBC.

10+ pictures inside of Southland stud Ben McKenzie… More Here! »

OFFICER BEN

Former O.C. star Benjamin McKenzie shares a laugh with a costar while filming a new television pilot, LAPD, on Monday along Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif.

In the ensemble cop drama, which follows a group of officers in Los Angeles, Ben, 30, plays a reserved rookie cop.

LAPD is expected to air midseason on NBC and will most likely replace ER (series finale airs February 2009).

Lately, Ben, who spoke at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, has been campaigning for Barack Obama.

20+ pictures inside of LAPD cop Benjamin McKenzie… More Here! »

Ben McKenzie makes a rare public appearance and attends the season two premiere of AMC’s hit series Mad Men at the Egyptian theater on Monday in Los Angeles.

The former O.C. actor, who turns 30 in September, is set to star in a film version of Dalton Trumbo’s 1938 novel Johnny Got His Gun.

In the film, Ben plays the narrator and title character, Joe Bonham, The novel mainly consists of his reminiscences of childhood and his current struggle to remain sane and, finally, to communicate.

No release date has been set for this movie yet. More Here! »