As you all might know, it's FACTS convention week on Conmose!
And there's a special reason why we're writing an 'In the Spotlight' about Ben McKenzie.. He will be at FACTS convention!!! So Liv and I will definitely meet him. We already bought a photo op for a photo with him and his fiancee Morena Baccarin! We can't wait! And of course we'll tell you all about it in our articles.
Let's start with Ben! Ben is an American actor. He's best known for his roles in the O.C., Southland and Gotham. I haven't watched the O.C. (If you have seen it, tell us all about his role in the comments please :)). But I have watched Southland and Gotham. So I can tell you all about that!
Ben was born in Austin, Texas. He is engaged with his Gotham co-star Morena Baccarin. Together they have a daughter: Frances. She was born in 2016.
Southland
Soutland follows the work of the Los Angeles Police Department. I originally started to watch this series because we were going to meet Michael Cudlitz. He plays the role of officer John Cooper in Southland. A entirely different role than his role as Abraham in the Walking Dead.
Southland is also where I got to know Ben McKenzie. He plays the role of officer Ben Sherman. Ben Sherman is a quite young officer. I loved his character in Southland. He's ambitious, smart and hopes to change the world. It was an amazing role. And I could never stop watching the series.
I was hooked after just watching one episode. I truly love the whole cast, they're amazing! The storyline always stays interesting and kept on surprising me. I always felt like watching another episode. A lot is happening in the series. Ofcourse there are crimes to solve, but you see a lot of the detectives and officers as well. You get to know them, see what they're struggling with. That makes it great to watch!
Gotham
Most recently I've seen McKenzie, together with his Fiancee, in Gotham. I totally love Gotham as well. Gotham is about the years before Batman's arrival. You get to see a younger version of James Gordon and Bruce Wayne. Ben is great! He plays James Gordon in Gotham.
Morena plays the role of Leslie Thompson. And they're a great couple. It's so much fun to watch them and I can't wait to meet both of them!
Even though I've ever watched Batman, I'm familiar with the Joker, the Riddler, Harley Quinn and the others. It's a lot of fun to discover these characters in the series. Besides that, it's a really well written police series. I think they did excellent casting on James Gordon and Penguin. The acting is really great to watch. I also like the plot twists and the pace of the story.
So....
Soo..... Tell us! Do you know Ben McKenzie? In which roles have you seen him?
I know he also played in Goodbye World, Decoding Annie Parker, Johnnie Got His Gun and 88 Minutes.
Also let us know in the comments: Would you have a question for Ben? If we are able to attend his Q&A, maybe we can ask him!
Write a comment
Geretha Terrell (Thursday, 30 March 2017 22:46)
This is a very informative article about Ben McKenzie!
Amila Wickramarachchi (Friday, 31 March 2017 03:23)
It is nice to read more about Ben McKenzie.The article is really interesting.I enjoyed reading it.And glad to know about these films he played including Goodbye World!
Pia Dysangco Villamor (Friday, 31 March 2017 06:31)
Ooh, you're going to meet Ben McKenzie! I was such an OC nut when I was younger so I'm super jealous! Anyway, Ben McKenzie played Ryan in the OC - he was this guy who grew up in the wrong side of town but found himself iving with a really rich family in Orange County. So he's thrown into a totally different world and ends up falling for the "It girl" (Mischa Barton) in school. It was pretty riveting. Hahaha. Because of him, my then-dorky-boyfriend (now my husband) started wearing wife beaters. Lol! I watched him in Gotham too and thought he was pretty great. Didn't know that he's engaged to Leslie Thompson, how exciting! Can't wait for you to meet them both- will live vicariously through you. :)
Berlin | Momi Berlin (Friday, 31 March 2017 10:48)
I am poor at remembering names, even artists and actors. But I do remember watching 88 minutes years ago. This is a very informative post re the actor.
Andy (Saturday, 01 April 2017 03:19)
You asked about The O.C. since you've never seen it. That was Ben's first role besides a couple of guest spots. Despite not being experienced, he was the lead and was amazing from the first scene. He's excellent at communicating without needing dialogue, something that came in handy in The O.C. as the writing kept declining. When it was at its best, it was a family-focused dramedy. At its worst, it was a teen soap. Watching Ben's portrayal of Ryan and seeing how he used body language and expressions was some of the best part, something he still does and you should have noticed in Southland. He can say plenty very quietly. Gotham can be too loud and quick and not pause when it should, but during the 2nd season's prison arc and some of the 3rd season with family topics, he's had the opportunity to display that skill.
He's done a few films, from Junebug with Amy Adams that really launched her with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, to Goodbye World, and others above, but Johnny Got his Gun was a chance for him to shine. He's the only actor in the play on film with no soundtrack or distractions. He's acting and telling the story and he's riveting.
He's been very active in various humanitarian and relief efforts, particularly involving children and education. He has worked to register voters and for John Kerry and Barack Obama during their campaigns. I respect him for his work and work ethic, talent, how he looks out for everyone on Gotham and for the endeavors in his personal life to give back.
Thanks for posting and enjoy your time!
Swayam Tiwari (Saturday, 01 April 2017 13:54)
I don't know Ben McKenzie. His name does not appear in the several Hollywood movies that appear in our newspapers and magazines. I am afraid, I am not a big fan of American cinema but I like your style of writing. It is based on facts, is direct and is also objective.