Rachel Bilson Reprises Her Iconic ‘The O.C.’ Role as Summer in New Video

Rachel Bilson says welcome (back) to The OC in a new ad that revives his breakout character. Along with a promotion for 21Seeds Tequila, Variety revealed a new commercial that pays homage to the early-teens classic. In its heyday, the sun-drenched series dominated pop culture from its clever dialogue to its inspired use of Imogen's pile “Hide and Seek.” Bilson returns to the beach in all her glory as fan favorite Summer Roberts. Despite being the only cast member returning to Newport, the announcement is almost a love letter to the series that gave fans some of the most devastating moments of the decade.

The ad opens with the series' iconic theme song, “California” by Phantom Planet. After introducing the infused cocktail, Bilson opens the door to reveal someone clearly destined to resemble by Ben McKenzie bad boy star Ryan Atwood. After Bilson asks her who she is, she responds with Ryan's memorable line from the pilot “Whoever you want her to be,” before delivering tequila to the door. The rest of the ad features the show's hallmarks, including the summer catchphrase “ew!” and a lookalike of Marissa throwing a lawn chair into the pool in a fit of rage. Only in The OC This may be the singular revitalization of the series that fans are likely to get, but it was still made with love.

The love for 'The OC' is still going strong

The OC. it's a relic of a bygone era, but that's part of the genius of the ad campaign. 21Seeds' announcement cleverly coincides with the 21st anniversary of the landmark teen series. At the time of its premiere, showrunner Josh Schwartz he was the youngest showrunner on television at just 26 years old. Two decades later, he supported the partnership in a celebratory statement.

“We're so grateful to 21Seeds for extending the opportunity to revisit our first project together to celebrate its 21st anniversary. We're constantly asked about a reunion or where our characters would be now, and this seemed like a fun way to spend the 'hang out with Summer Roberts'.

The OC alumni Adam Brody and McKenzie have seemed hesitant to return to that period of their lives, but Bilson has always had a sense of humor about his early work. She runs one O.C check out the podcast again with Julie Cooper herself, Melinda Clarke, where they revisit episodes and invite former co-stars to talk about their experiences. But there's nothing like seeing Summer Roberts again in the California sun. And in this sense, Bilson has not lost a beat. Viewers can relive the nostalgia by watching all four seasons of The OC to Max.

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