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Pomona College Magazine is published three times a year by Pomona College
550 N. College Ave, Claremont, CA 91711
Online Editor: Mark Kendall
For editorial matters:
Editor: Mark Wood
Phone: (909) 621-8158
Fax: (909) 621-8203
PCM Editorial Guidelines
Contact Alumni Records for changes of address, class notes, or notice
of births or deaths.
Phone: (909) 621-8635
Fax: (909) 621-8535
Email: alumni@pomona.edu
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Celebrity Sibling
Junior Zachary Schenkkan’s older brother is the
star of TV’s The O.C., one of the most popular shows around
campus.
By Mark Kendall
Watching the hit
teen soap The O.C. is a weekly ritual for many Pomona students,
who gather around the tube in dorm lounges and the campus center. But
Zachary Schenkkan ’06 (seen at right) tunes in for more than the teen
intrigue, beautiful people and sharp writing.
 His older brother
Benjamin McKenzie is the star of the show, playing
Ryan Atwood, a misunderstood teen living in a tough neighborhood (Chino,
if you can believe that) until a wealthy Newport Beach family takes him
in. Atwood gets the girls but also plenty of trouble from the rich
Orange County kids because of his rough-edged past.
The O.C. debuted on Fox in August 2003, just as Schenkkan
(pictured at right) was
beginning his sophomore year at Pomona. He remembers how odd it was to
walk around campus one night and hear the show’s theme song blaring from
dorm rooms and lounges. All those people were watching his brother.
“It’s definitely a little strange to see him every week on a television
show and have people talk about him and overhear people talk about him,”
says Schenkkan.
He also recalls his first time watching the show on campus. Schenkkan
searched around for an unused TV, winding up in Harwood Lounge.
Schenkkan was watching by himself when a first-year student arrived,
disappointed that the lounge was taken.
“What are you going to watch?” he asked.
“The O.C.,” Schenkkan replied.
“Oh, great, great that’s exactly what I wanted to watch,” said the
student.
That set off a debate in Schenkkan’s mind: Should he tell the guy his
brother is the star or would that be weird? He decided it would be
weirder not to tell him.
The O.C. is set on the Orange County coast. |
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“I told the guy and he just like flipped out, just went crazy, and ran
and got two or three other first-years to come watch,” recalls Schenkkan.
“That was my introduction to O.C. culture on campus. It would
only grow from there.”
Zachary and Benjamin weren’t especially close growing up in Austin,
Texas, a fact Zack attributes to their six-year age difference. (There’s
a middle Schenkkan brother, Nate, who is an actor working in theatre in
New York.)
But the pair have grown closer now that they both live in Southern
California, and they hang out about once a month. Zachary typically goes
to see Benjamin in L.A. To hang out in public, McKenzie has to go
unshaven and wear a baseball cap to avoid being recognized and asked for
autographs, though that doesn’t always work Often, the brothers just
hang out and watch videos as McKenzie is exhausted from the demands of
shooting a TV series.
McKenzie hasn’t come to campus since he became famous; Schenkkan says it
just wouldn’t be practical. McKenzie visited before the pilot for The
O.C. aired, and, Schenkkan says, “everybody kind of freaked out”
when they learned he was going to be on TV.
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Benjamin McKenzie of The O.C. |
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Having a celebrity brother has its awkward moments. Some people ask
Zachary if they can meet his brother (answer: no “it’s just too
strange”) or ask for autographs, something he has only done in a few
special cases. Many students know about his brother, and Schenkkan takes
his share of ribbing from friends.
But Schenkkan has a full life of his own. He just finished up a year in
the important role of Head Sponsor in the residence halls, he serves as
a student representative to the curriculum committee and is a member of
the Pomona Student Union. He also has appeared in Pomona plays such as
Angels in America and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
So, yes, Schenkkan has the acting bug like his brother, but the history
major also is interested in writing. He sees the two interests as
complementary. “It’s good because, you know, when you’re unemployed as
an actor you’ve got a lot of time to write,” he says.
His brother may be a good source of advice on the ways of showbiz, but
having a sibling reach fame so young also poses a friendly family
challenge. “He’s the pacesetter now for all of us,” says Schenkkan.
“We’re gonna all be playing catch up with him for the rest of our
lives.” |
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