Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan (born September , ) is an American actor,
writer, and director. His first high profile role was in , starring as
Ryan Atwood in the television series The O.C. and subsequently starred
as Ben Sherman in Southland. From to , he starred as James Gordon in
the television series Gotham, for which he also wrote and directed
episodes. McKenzie's first starring role in a feature film was in the
film adaptation of Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun. He also
appeared in the films Junebug and Minutes, and voiced Batman in
Batman: Year One. In January , McKenzie made his Broadway debut in the
Bess Wohl play Grand Horizons.Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan was born on
September , in Austin, Texas. He is of Dutch Jewish, English, and
Scottish descent. He is one of three sons born to Frances Victory
Schenkkan, a poet, and Pieter Meade Schenkkan, an attorney. His middle
name, McKenzie, is his paternal grandmother's maiden name. His
grandfather, Robert F. Schenkkan, was a professor at the University of
Texas at Austin, and worked with President Lyndon B. Johnson on
passing the Public Broadcasting Act of . He is a nephew of Pulitzer
Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan.For middle school, he
attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School, where he was friends and flag
football teammates with future Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees. He attended
Stephen F. Austin High School, playing wide receiver and defensive
back for the school's football team. From to , he attended the
University of Virginia, his father and paternal grandfather's alma
mater, where he majored in foreign affairs and economics. He uses his
middle name as his stage name to avoid confusion with actor Ben
Shenkman.
writer, and director. His first high profile role was in , starring as
Ryan Atwood in the television series The O.C. and subsequently starred
as Ben Sherman in Southland. From to , he starred as James Gordon in
the television series Gotham, for which he also wrote and directed
episodes. McKenzie's first starring role in a feature film was in the
film adaptation of Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun. He also
appeared in the films Junebug and Minutes, and voiced Batman in
Batman: Year One. In January , McKenzie made his Broadway debut in the
Bess Wohl play Grand Horizons.Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan was born on
September , in Austin, Texas. He is of Dutch Jewish, English, and
Scottish descent. He is one of three sons born to Frances Victory
Schenkkan, a poet, and Pieter Meade Schenkkan, an attorney. His middle
name, McKenzie, is his paternal grandmother's maiden name. His
grandfather, Robert F. Schenkkan, was a professor at the University of
Texas at Austin, and worked with President Lyndon B. Johnson on
passing the Public Broadcasting Act of . He is a nephew of Pulitzer
Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan.For middle school, he
attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School, where he was friends and flag
football teammates with future Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees. He attended
Stephen F. Austin High School, playing wide receiver and defensive
back for the school's football team. From to , he attended the
University of Virginia, his father and paternal grandfather's alma
mater, where he majored in foreign affairs and economics. He uses his
middle name as his stage name to avoid confusion with actor Ben
Shenkman.
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