Benjamin McKenzie Biography

Biography

Birth Name
Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan
Date of birth (location)
12 September 1978
Austin, Texas, USA

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Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan was born and raised in Texas. Following, his graduation from the University of Virginia where he was a Foreign Affairs and Economics major, he moved to New York to pursue his passion for acting. While in New York, he appeared off-Broadway in "Life is a Dream" at the Soho Rep. Additionally, he performed in numerous productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, including "Street Scene" and "The Blue Bird," and at the University of Virginia, in "Measure for Measure" and "Zoo Story" before moving to Los Angeles where he landed a lead role in The
O.C.

His uncle is Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan.

His paternal grandparents both did some acting when they were young. His 22-year-old brother Nate is a Yale graduate working in avant-garde theater in New York. Younger brother Zack, 19, is attending Pomona College, a half-hour away from Los Angeles, and still pondering his future.

He followed his father and grandfather to the University of Virginia.

He changed his name for screen-credit purposes because there's an actor named Ben Schenkman registered with the Screen Actors Guild.

Son of Austin attorney Pete Schenkkan and poet-writer Frances Schenkkan.

While in New York he waited tables to help support himself and shared a bunk bed in a cramped apartment in the city.

Second cousin of Sarah Drew

Was a speaker at the Democratic National Convention on July 27, 2004.

Was voted one of InStyle's "10 Hottest Bachelors Of Summer" in July 2005, placing at number 10.