Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan was born on September 12, 1978, in Austin, Texas, to Mary Frances (Victory),a poet, and Pieter Meade Schenkkan, an attorney. His uncle is renowned playwright Robert Schenkkan. Ben's ancestry is a unique blend of Dutch Jewish, English, and Scottish descent.
Ben attended Austin High School, where he was an outstanding athlete, playing wide receiver and defensive back for the school's football team. He then went on to study Foreign Affairs and Economics at the University of Virginia from 1997 to 2001. During his college years, he began his acting career, appearing in productions such as "Measure for Measure" and "Zoo Story."
After graduating, Ben moved to New York and continued his acting career, performing off-Broadway in "Life is a Dream" at the SoHo Rep and numerous productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, including "Street Scene" and "The Blue Bird." He eventually relocated to Los Angeles in 2001, where he made his early TV appearances on shows such as The District, JAG, and Mad TV.
In 2003, FOX premiered the hit television series The O.C., which catapulted Ben to fame as the character Ryan Atwood. While appearing on the show, he made his feature film debut in "Junebug" opposite Amy Adams, which received high praise at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. He also appeared in a pivotal role in the 2007 film "88 Minutes," starring Al Pacino.
Ben's first starring role in a feature film was in the 2008 indie release "Johnny Got His Gun," which premiered at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas, his hometown, before playing art houses and garnering excellent reviews for his solo performance.
In 2009, NBC replaced the long-running series E.R. with a new cop drama, Southland, starring Ben as rookie police officer Ben Sherman. He is currently playing Jim Gordon in the Batman-themed series Gotham, which premiered in September 2014.
