Rachel Bilson apologizes to Tate Donovan for her behavior when he directed The O.C.
So, about that time Donovan said the younger actors on the show had developed "bad attitudes"...
By Jolie Lash
May 25, 2021 at 06:48 PM EDT
Rachel Bilson is clearing the air.
The actress, who played Summer Roberts on
the WB's long-running drama
The O.C., made sure to let her former costar-turned-director Tate Donovan know that she is sorry if her on-set behavior back in the day caused him unnecessary drama.
"But, I thought you were so wonderful, and such a wonderful director and... [an] amazing human and all of it, so if I ever added to any of the a-----ness, I want to apologize on record," Bilson told Donovan, who appeared as a guest on the newest edition of her podcast with
Melinda Clarke —
Welcome to the O.C., bitches.
The apology came up after Donovan recounted a tale from his own past, when he turned down an appearance on the hit '80s action/crime series
Magnum, P.I., a story that Bilson said brought up "something pretty poignant" for her, going on to mention his time behind the lens in season 3.
"You went on to direct us on
The O.C., which we can talk about more, and I know some of us kids were little a--holes," she said. "And I think that that speaks to that whole unaware, young, youthful, ignorant — just idiots, you know what I mean? And I hope I wasn't as bad as it's come off … You know, you get influenced, I'd say, by your surroundings."
Rachel Bilson and Tate Donovan
| CREDIT: NEILSON BARNARD/GETTY IMAGES; NOAM GALAI/FILMMAGIC
"Yeah, you can't help but believe all the sort of hype. Everyone gets caught up in it, especially when you're young," he said, also adding that Bilson was actually "a total sweetheart to work with."
Bilson's comments appear to be in reference to what Donovan told
Vulture in 2013 about some of
The O.C. stars not being fun to direct.
"By the time I started to direct, the kids on the show had developed a really bad attitude," he previously told the publication. "They just didn't want to be doing the show anymore. It was pretty tough; they were very tough to work with. The adults were all fantastic, total pros. But you know how it is with young actors — and I know because I was one of them once. When you achieve a certain amount of success, you want to be doing something else."
During his time on Bilson and Clarke's podcast, Donovan shared an amusing recollection of a comment the younger actress made when he was directing — a remark he still recalls today.
"So, our first scene together, you were in Seth's house and you were coming down to the pool to talk to Ryan or something like that. You did the scene, and it was great. You were like, for a director you would make every scene totally work, like from the first time. You're an amazing actress. … At the time, I called you 'the cute machine,'" he said.
Donovan recalled that Bilson did a take of the scene, and although he was pleased with it, he wanted to give her a slight note on her performance.
"So, I just wanted to put something in your mind. And I said … 'Just so you know, that was great. Just so know, you've just come from Seth's room, and you've had a huge argument, in that thing, and you're like, breaking up. And so, I want to see that argument in you … You know that right? You know that you had an argument with Seth?'" Donovan continued. "I didn't want to step on toes. I didn't want to insult you by reminding you of that."
It was at that point that Bilson chimed in, "I think I know where this is going."
As Donovan carried on, he revealed Bilson had an unusual reply -- one he calls one of the "best quotes" he's heard from an actress in his life.
"You go, 'Tate, I don't read scripts, I smoke pot,'" he said to laughs from the actresses and podcasters.
Bilson has called revisiting
The O.C. for the podcast "trippy and a little insane." She and Clarke are five episodes into their Tuesday-dropping rewatch podcast, so there's still time to catch up.
www.sho.com
www.wrestlinginc.com
and then they bring in Walter Bishop
variety.com
