Ben McKenzie's Real Name: Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan

Quick answer: Ben McKenzie was born Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan on September 12, 1978, in Austin, Texas. He acts under his middle name, McKenzie, in place of his family surname. He was credited as Ben Schenkkan in early stage work before breaking out as Ryan Atwood on Fox's The O.C. His uncle is Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan (Encyclopedia.com; Library of Congress).

Real name and early life

The Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television entry reproduced on Encyclopedia.com gives his "Full name, Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan; born September 12, 1978, in Austin, TX." It names his parents as Pete Schenkkan, an attorney, and Frances Schenkkan, a poet, writer, and editor, and identifies writer Robert Schenkkan as his uncle. The Library of Congress name authority files him as "McKenzie, Benjamin, 1978-," with variants "McKenzie, Ben" and "Schenkkan, Benjamin." It notes he is "sometimes credited as Ben McKenzie, Benjamin Schenkkan."

The Austin Chronicle reported that as a teenager at Austin High School, "Benjamin Schenkkan was a football player, not an actor." When the school added his uncle to its alumni Wall of Fame, 16-year-old Ben spoke in his place. He told the assembly that his uncle was "with us in spirit," and some classmates briefly thought Robert had died. Watching his uncle's seven-hour play The Kentucky Cycle in Los Angeles at about 12 had already hooked him on theater. He went on to the University of Virginia, earning a bachelor's degree in foreign affairs and economics in 2001.

Career highlights

Encyclopedia.com lists his early stage credits "as Ben Schenkkan," including The Blue Bird and Street Scene at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2001. He spent a short time in New York, moved to Los Angeles, and worked as a waiter. About a year later he was cast as the brooding teen Ryan Atwood in The O.C. (2003–07). He told the Chronicle he overnighted the pilot script to his uncle, who called back: "You are the luckiest SOB out there!" The role brought multiple Teen Choice Award nominations.

He went on to play a rookie Los Angeles police officer in Southland and Jim Gordon in Fox's Gotham, a Batman prequel. He has also become an outspoken cryptocurrency skeptic and co-wrote the 2023 book Easy Money with journalist Jacob Silverman.

Name notes for searchers

Schenkkan is his family surname, and McKenzie is his middle name. As the Austin Chronicle put it in an O.C.-era profile, "Nowadays, publicity-savvy Benjamin goes by Ben McKenzie." Library catalogs cross-reference all three forms: Benjamin McKenzie, Ben McKenzie, and Benjamin Schenkkan. The surname is spelled with a double k.