It only took a few days for the series Nobody wants thisavailable on Netflix, becomes one of the phenomena of the season. And Adam Brody (San Diego, California, 44 years old) has a lot to do with the good reception of what for some is the best romantic comedy of the year. The series has meant for the actor, for many, the eternal Seth Cohen in the series The O.C.a return in style to the small screen with a leading role that seems tailor-made for him. In the 10-chapter fiction, he steps into the shoes of Noah, an attractive and unconventional rabbi who has just gotten out of a relationship when he meets Joanne, played by Kristen Bell—an actress whom many will remember for Veronica Marsanother teenage series that marked the early 2000s. She is the presenter of a podcast and has a very different vision of life, a point of friction that will fuel a good part of the plot. Without spoiling the plot, throughout the chapters the couple strives to overcome obstacles of all kinds to make their relationship work.
Almost 20 years after the end of The O.C.many have found some similarities between the character of Brody from fiction dosmilera and that of the new Netflix hit. “They both have my same bone structure, they are from Southern California and theoretically they would be the same age if Seth Cohen had continued,” the actor joked about it. in an interview in Vanity Fairwhere he concluded that for him there are big differences between the two: “I think Noah is someone who has known exactly what he wanted from a very young age and has led a life—having fun and being a fun person—of rigorous study. I think it’s a big difference.”
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A surfer comes to Hollywood
Before being part of what was the most successful teen series of its time, Adam Brody had already achieved his first roles on television, although acting was not always his first choice. He himself has said that a good part of his childhood and adolescence was spent on the beach surfing, not strange if we take into account that he was born in San Diego, California.
No one in his immediate family was dedicated to film, but at the age of 19 Brody left school to try his luck as an actor in Hollywood. The opportunities did not take long to arrive, and although in the beginning they were all unremarkable roles, these helped him to begin to cut his teeth in front of the cameras. In 2002, a year before The O.C.a small gap was made in the distribution of Gilmore Girls with a secondary but recurring character. A few months later everything changed. At 23 years old he was chosen as one of the four protagonists of the teenage drama The O.C.the series set in Orange County and co-starring Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson and Benjamin McKenzie.
From one day to the next, the four twenty-somethings became the obsession of a generation that wanted to know everything about them, on and off the screen. Although women (especially Mischa Barton) took the brunt, as usual, of the constant scrutiny of the press and public opinion, Adam Brody was not spared from the consequences of fame either. Of course, he has acknowledged that today the exposure would have been much worse when social networks came into play. “There was not the same level of interaction and contact that exists today, even with almost everything being virtual. Everything would have been very different and I would not have wanted to have that level of exposure or that power,” he commented on the platform. BuzzFeed in a 2019 talk.
For a time he was one of the most famous people on the planet, but after the end of fiction, in 2007, that glow of fame faded. His personal life did have some peak of attention, such as the one he received due to his relationship with another star of teenage series: the actress Leighton Meester, the popular Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl. The couple crossed the altar in 2014, they are still together and have two children, born in 2015 and 2020.
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody at the presentation of ‘American Fiction’, in December 2003 in Los Angeles. Stewart Cook (Getty Images for MGM)That’s not to say Brody was short of work after Seth Cohen. On the contrary, just take a look at his filmography to see the number of titles in which he has participated since then, but most of them with little impact. Taking this into account, it is striking when some colleagues define the interpreter as someone who is very picky when it comes to choosing projects. Yet, in The Hollywood Reporter The Californian made it clear that he does not regret any of the projects to which he said no, without specifying which ones: “At the beginning of my career I was more aware of myself, but at the same time I don’t look back and think: ‘WowI missed that train’ or ‘I should have done that’. I am fortunate enough to be on the path that I have created for myself. It’s my way. I am clear that I have no regrets.”
A new stage
Since 2019, his professional choices have been wiser. In 2020 he was seen in a minor but very revealing role in the acclaimed A promising young womanthe Emerald Fennell film awarded with an Oscar in the category of best original screenplay. Television also gave him joy in 2022, when it premiered Fleishman is in troubleone of the best-rated series of that time. And a year later he returned to be part of one of the Oscar favorites, the black comedy American Fiction. His presence in these titles has been secondary, but he has paved the way for his second great opportunity.
Those who were not born when Adam Brody was an idol forracarpetas They probably don’t identify too much with the plot of Nobody wants thisbut millennials who grew up with the adorable and weird Seth Cohen have rediscovered the actor through a character that probably connects in some way with their own experiences. The creator of the series, Erin Foster, was inspired by her personal experiences with her husband to write the script and although in interviews she has stated that they made a casting to every “handsome Jew in town,” he knew Adam Brody was perfect for the role. The interpreter is from a Jewish family, although he has described himself as “non-religious and non-believer.” “I don’t think I’ve ever gone to any other Bar Mitzvah but mine,” he said during the promotion. Therefore, stepping into the shoes of a rabbi implied an extra responsibility: “I wanted to make as many people as possible happy. I got the job before the strike [de actores] and when the break came I had a lot of time that allowed me to dive and learn a lot about the history of Judaism.”
The chemistry shared with his screen partner, Kristen Bell, is being one of the most commented aspects among fans, who have shared montages and compilation videos of all the kisses shared by the couple in the series on social networks. The truth is that Brody and Bell are old acquaintances, in addition to sharing a very similar professional career. Before Nobody wants this They had worked together on several occasions and that complicity is reflected behind the camera, although Brody highlights how the script has helped to highlight the harmony between the couple. “We have worked together on several shows and no one has said, ‘Your chemistry is incredible.’ I mean, we’ve had a great time working together and it’s worked out, but here’s another reason why the series is getting attention in this regard this time around. And it has to do with how it is written.”
The chemistry between actors Adam Brody and Kristen Bell is one of the keys to the success of this romantic comedy that is sweeping Netflix.Jamie McCarthy (Getty Images for Netflix)At the moment, the fiction has accumulated more than 10 million views on Netflix and in Spain it occupies the second position of the most viewed in its category, behind Monsters: the story of Lyle and Erik Menéndez. It would not be surprising if it climbed positions in the coming days. Once the end of the last chapter has been seen, the obligatory question is; Will there be a second season? Nothing is clear, although the statements of the showrunner Erin Foster in this regard has fueled the hopes of many: “We are having a very positive response. “Talks about a possible second season have definitely begun.” Now we just have to wait.
