Directed credits
2
Emerging
Beginning to build directing work.
Director
Ben McKenzie
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
1.9
Low visibility
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Directed movies: 1Directed series: 1All crew credits: 3
TMDB ID: 17245
IMDb ID: nm1360270
Known for: Acting
Born: September 12, 1978
Age: 47
Place of birth: Austin, Texas, USA
Gender: Male
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1981 - 2025
Years active: 45
Average TMDB rating: 6.09
Wikidata: Q314569
Also known as
Benjamin McKenzie • Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan
Frequent jobs
Director (2)Producer (1)
Biography
Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan (born September 12, 1978) is an American actor and commentator. He is best known for his starring television roles as Ryan Atwood on the teen drama The O.C. (2003–2007), Ben Sherman on the crime drama Southland (2009–2013), and James Gordon on the crime drama Gotham (2014–2019). After graduating in Economics and International Relations at the University of Virginia, he moved to New York in order to devote his attention to acting. There he received first in off-Broadway productions different roles, before moving to Los Angeles and was hired there for a starring role in the television series The OC, with the fourth season came to an end on 22 February 2007. For his portrayal of Ryan Atwood in the series he won several awards between 2003 and 2007. He made his film debut in the Academy Award-nominated film Junebug (2005), before appearing in films including 88 Minutes (2007), Goodbye World (2013), Some Kind of Beautiful (2014), and Line of Duty (2019). He has been married to actress Morena Baccarin since 2017; they have 2 children. His uncle is actor and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan; his second cousin is actress Sarah Drew.
Photos
Movies
Directed Movies
Movies directed by Ben McKenzie.
Series
Directed Series
Series directed by Ben McKenzie.
Movies
Top Rated Movies
Highest rated movies linked with Ben McKenzie.
7.2
Batman: Year One
as Batman / Bruce Wayne (voice)
2011 Movie
7.0
The Report
as Scrubbed CIA Officer
2019 Movie
6.5
Junebug
as Johnny
2005 Movie
6.3
I Want You Back
as Leighton's Dad
2022 Movie
6.0
Decoding Annie Parker
as Tom
2014 Movie
5.9
Line of Duty
as Dean Keller
2019 Movie
5.8
88 Minutes
as Mike Stempt
2007 Movie
5.6
Some Kind of Beautiful
as Brian
2015 Movie
5.4
Goodbye World
as Nick
2013 Movie
Series
Top Rated Series
Highest rated series linked with Ben McKenzie.
8.2
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
as Odnarb (voice) • 1 eps
2010 Series
7.9
Southland
as Ben Sherman • 43 eps
2009 Series
7.7
The O.C.
as Ryan Atwood • 92 eps
2003 Series
7.6
Gotham
Director • 3 eps
2014 Series
7.3
JAG
as Petty Officer Spencer • 1 eps
1995 Series
7.2
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest • 2 eps
1993 Series
7.0
MADtv
as Ryan Atwood • 1 eps
1995 Series
6.7
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
as Self • 1 eps
2005 Series
6.0
Real Time with Bill Maher
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
5.6
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
as Self • 2 eps
2003 Series
5.5
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
5.3
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self • 1 eps
2014 Series
Movies
Most Popular Movies
Most viewed movie titles linked with Ben McKenzie.
6.5
Junebug
as Johnny
2005 Movie
5.8
88 Minutes
as Mike Stempt
2007 Movie
7.0
The Report
as Scrubbed CIA Officer
2019 Movie
7.2
Batman: Year One
as Batman / Bruce Wayne (voice)
2011 Movie
6.3
I Want You Back
as Leighton's Dad
2022 Movie
5.9
Line of Duty
as Dean Keller
2019 Movie
5.6
Some Kind of Beautiful
as Brian
2015 Movie
5.1
Bloat
Producer
2025 Movie
6.4
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs
as Self
2017 Movie
6.0
Decoding Annie Parker
as Tom
2014 Movie
1.0
Desperate Souls
2005 Movie
8.0
Motor City
as Kent
2025 Movie
Series
Most Popular Series
Most viewed series linked with Ben McKenzie.
5.0
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
2009 Series
5.3
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self • 1 eps
2014 Series
7.3
JAG
as Petty Officer Spencer • 1 eps
1995 Series
7.6
Gotham
Director • 3 eps
2014 Series
6.7
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
as Self • 1 eps
2005 Series
4.3
The View
as Self • 2 eps
1997 Series
6.0
Real Time with Bill Maher
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
7.7
The O.C.
as Ryan Atwood • 92 eps
2003 Series
5.3
The Late Late Show with James Corden
as Self • 1 eps
2015 Series
7.2
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest • 2 eps
1993 Series
5.5
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
5.4
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
as Self • 1 eps
1988 Series
Movies
Other Crew Work in Movies
Additional movie credits for Ben McKenzie.
Movies
Acting Appearances in Movies
Movie cast credits for Ben McKenzie.
8.0
Motor City
as Kent
2025 Movie
Everyone Is Lying to You for Money
as Self
2025 Movie
5.1
Bloat
as Jack Reynolds
2025 Movie
6.3
I Want You Back
as Leighton's Dad
2022 Movie
5.9
Line of Duty
as Dean Keller
2019 Movie
7.0
The Report
as Scrubbed CIA Officer
2019 Movie
6.4
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs
as Self
2017 Movie
5.6
Some Kind of Beautiful
as Brian
2015 Movie
6.0
Decoding Annie Parker
as Tom
2014 Movie
5.4
Goodbye World
as Nick
2013 Movie
1.0
The Advocates
as Henry Bird
2013 Movie
4.0
Adventures in the Sin Bin
as Michael
2012 Movie
Series
Acting Appearances in Series
Series cast credits for Ben McKenzie.
The Accidental Wolf
as Cast • 4 eps
2020 Series
Gotham Stories
as James Gordon • 5 eps
2016 Series
5.3
The Late Late Show with James Corden
as Self • 1 eps
2015 Series
7.6
Gotham
as James 'Jim' Gordon • 100 eps
2014 Series
5.3
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self • 1 eps
2014 Series
6.6
Men at Work
as Bryan • 1 eps
2012 Series
8.2
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
as Odnarb (voice) • 1 eps
2010 Series
5.0
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
2009 Series
7.9
Southland
as Ben Sherman • 43 eps
2009 Series
4.8
The Reichen Show
as Self • 1 eps
2005 Series
6.7
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
as Self • 1 eps
2005 Series
5.6
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
as Self • 2 eps
2003 Series