BENJAMIN MCKENZIE

Name, Age & Place of Birth

Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan, professionally known as Ben McKenzie, was born on September 12, 1978, in Austin, Texas, U.S. He is currently 46 years old .

Family & Early Life

Ben is the eldest of three sons of Mary Frances “Frances” Schenkkan, a poet, and Pieter Meade Schenkkan, an attorney . He comes from a creative and academic lineage—his grandfather, Robert F. Schenkkan, served as a public broadcasting pioneer, and his uncle, Robert Schenkkan, is a Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright . Raised in Austin, he attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal School—where he built a friendship with future NFL quarterback Drew Brees through flag football—and later played on the football team at Stephen F. Austin High School .

Education & Early Pursuits

Ben went on to the University of Virginia, earning a double major in foreign affairs and economics (1997–2001), following family tradition . During college, he began acting—playing Friar Laurence in a racially progressive production of Romeo & Juliet—and appeared in university and summer stock theater .

Breakthrough in Television

After college, he moved to New York and performed in off-off-Broadway productions before relocating to Los Angeles . His first major TV role came shortly after, as Ryan Atwood on The O.C. (2003–2007), a breakout performance that earned him Teen Choice Awards and fame . He went on to portray Detective Ben Sherman in Southland (2009–2013), and later Commissioner James “Jim” Gordon in Gotham (2014–2019), where he also directed and wrote several episodes .

Film & Theatre Highlights

Ben made his film debut in Junebug (2005), which premiered at Sundance . His roles also include 88 Minutes (2007), Goodbye World (2013), Some Kind of Beautiful (2014), Line of Duty (2019), and voice work in Batman: Year One (2011) . On Broadway, he starred in Grand Horizons in 2020, marking his stage debut.

Writing & Advocacy

Beyond acting, Ben has become a vocal critic of cryptocurrency. In 2023, he co-authored Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud, published to strong critical acclaim . He continues to contribute commentary on crypto issues across major outlets.

Personal Life & Philanthropy

In March 2016, he and actress Morena Baccarin, his Gotham co-star, welcomed their daughter, and married on June 2, 2017. They later welcomed a son in March 2021 . They share a blended family with her son from a prior marriage.

Summary

From his beginnings in Austin and studies at UVA, Ben McKenzie’s career has spanned teen drama, gritty police shows, and superhero origin stories. A celebrated stage presence and film actor, he’s also an outspoken author and public thinker, particularly in the economic and tech space. Supported by strong family roots and creative lineage, he remains a dynamic force in both entertainment and cultural discourse.