• “I’ve always been kind of a loner. Continue to be. So, in that sense, Ryan and I are the same. I played football in Texas, but I didn’t really hang out with the jocks. I did honors courses, but I didn’t hang out with those kids, either. I sort of had my own group I hung with occasionally, but I’ve always been kind of by myself.” – When asked about his high school experience.
• It’s a Fox thing, the bad-boy image. They’re trying to type me out. There are worse things in life, you know. I’m just really excited about the opportunity.
• “It’s against type in the sense of my background, but it’s with type in the sense that I am a loner who’s new to this business and skeptical about a lot of it.” When discussing differences between Ryan Atwood and himself.
• “I’m somewhat puzzled about that myself. I did theater in college, so I had already started down that path, but I didn’t want to major in theater at U. Va. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I thought I’d get a good education and do some acting at the same time” Explaining why he majored in Economics and Foreign Affairs and not theater.
• Sometimes those fears (about fame) creep into the back of your head, but then you slap yourself and think, ‘Oh, woe is me! People actually like me.’ What a silly thing to worry about. This is a huge opportunity, and I’m excited.
• I had one year of struggle. My parents were always there, but I didn’t want to rely on them. Now it’s moving pretty fast. I’m not rich, but obviously this is fantastic. All I know to do with money is put it in a shoe box anyway.
• This whole scene is very strange. It’s a very strange town and a very strange business, and it has a tendency to creep me out. Ryan’s relationship with Orange County is very similar to my relationship with L.A.: fabulous wealth, and odd people behaving oddly, and I’m definitely a bit overwhelmed. I hope I’m hiding it well.
• “I don’t like the whole trend of people in the business treating marriage like entertainment. It’s either for publicity value or because they’re bored. Because they haven’t done a movie in a few months, they get married instead.” – On Young Hollywood weddings.
• [When a Newsweek interviewer asked McKenzie if he thinks The OC should end with Ryan and Marissa getting married] “I’ve always pushed for the big marriage that the whole entire audience has always seen coming. Ryan and Seth walk down the aisle hand in hand.”
• I had sort of an F-you vibe… Everyone else had come to audition and kissed the asses of [producers] McG and Doug Liman–which they should in a sense, because they`re so accomplished. But I just didn`t. I went in and did my thing, and I don`t know, I guess they liked it.
