Ben McKenzie Wiki: TV Show, Net Worth, 'Gotham' & Facts About Morena Baccarin's Husband

Benjamin McKenzie Schenkkan was born on September 12th, 1978. He is known professionally as Ben McKenzie and he is a talented American actor and director. He is popularly known as Ryan Atwood in the television series, 'The O.C.' and as Ben Sherman in 'Southland'. He has done notable performances in the films 'Junebug' and '88 Minutes'. His first debuted in a feature film in the 2008 indie release 'Johnny Got His Gun'. Since 2014, McKenzie has been starring as James Gordon in the television series, 'Gotham'. Benjamin McKenzie was born in Austin, Texas and has a Dutch-Jewish, English, and Scottish descent. He is one of three boys born to parents Frances Victory Schenkkan, a poet, and Pieter Meade "Pete" Schenkkan, an attorney. McKenzie attended the St. Andrew's Episcopal School for his middle school. He later attended Stephen F. Austin High School, playing as the wide receiver and defensive back for the school's football team. From 1997–2001, McKenzie went to the University of Virginia, where he majored in foreign affairs and economics. He uses his middle name as his stage name in order to avoid confusion with actor Ben Shenkman. His wife, Morena Baccarin was initially married to actor and director Austin Chick. She had a son Julius with him. The wedding did not last long and even before their divorce was finalized, she got into a relationship with Ben McKenzie. In September 2015, Morena Baccarin announced that she planned to marry her Gotham co-star, McKenzie, and also stated that she was pregnant with their child. Their daughter Frances Laiz Setta Schenkkan was born March 2, 2016. Baccarin and McKenzie announced officially their engagement in November 2016. They got married on June 2, 2017 in Brooklyn, New York. The couple currently lives together happily with their daughter Frances and Baccarin's son Julius from her first marriage.

The career graph of the actor Ben McKenzie has been quite interesting. He has seen a steady flow in his work and rise in his career. From 2001 to 2003, McKenzie worked in part-time jobs and used to seek acting work in New York and Los Angeles before he landed the role as Ryan Atwood in the TV Show, 'The O.C.' On August 5, 2003, Fox premiered the TV Show, about affluent teenagers with stormy personal lives in Orange County, California. The show not only became an overnight success but also made McKenzie famous. His performance in 'The O.C.' won him "Choice Breakout TV Star - Male" and "Choice TV Chemistry" nominations in the Teen Choice Awards and "Choice TV Actor - Drama/Action Adventure" and "Choice TV Actor: Drama" wins. McKenzie's salary was between $15,000 and $25,000 per episode throughout the show's run. The role of a 'quiet, guarded and leading man' that he played in 'The O.C' was later repeatedly played by him in many other TV Shows and films. He did not only excel in it but the role also suited his personality exceptionally well. McKenzie became quite successful and was repeatedly sought after by many leading magazines for interviews. He was ranked No. 5 in Independent Online's "100 Sexiest Men Alive" and also twice appeared on Teen People magazine's annual list of "25 Sexiest Stars under 25". McKenzie was voted as one of InStyle's "10 Hottest Bachelors of Summer" in July 2005. The O.C. could not continue for very long and dropped in ratings dramatically during its third and fourth seasons, and eventually ended in early 2007. While appearing in The O.C., McKenzie also made his feature film debut in 'Junebug' alongside Amy Adams and Embeth Davidtz. The film, 'Junebug' was nominated for "Best International Film" and "Outstanding Ensemble Acting" in the Amanda Awards and won the Sarasota Film Festival award for "Outstanding Ensemble Acting". He later appeared in the film '88 Minutes', which starred Al Pacino. In 2008, McKenzie won critical acclaim for his solo performance in the "live on stage, on film" version of Dalton Trumbo's 1939 novel 'Johnny Got His Gun'. It was his first starring role in a film. The movie,'Johny Got His Gun' premiered at the Paramount Theater in Austin which was McKenzie's hometown. He was filming the pilot for Southland. Southland was an American television crime drama series created by writer Ann Biderman and produced by Warner Bros. Television. It was first aired in 2009. In 2009, McKenzie appeared on the short movie, 'The Eight Percent'. McKenzie returned to Fox in the Batman prequel television show 'Gotham', which premiered on September 22, 2014. In the TV Show, he portrays the role of James Gordon as a young detective new to Gotham City. In the same series, he also directed for the first time the 3 episode - "These Delicate and Dark Obsessions". McKenzie went on to direct "One of My Three Soups" and write "The Demon's Head" from the fourth season.

The net worth of Ben McKenzie is $13 million dollars.