Generations before Rachel Bilson was born on Aug. 25, 1981, her family established firm roots in the entertainment business. At the time of her birth, her father Danny was a budding screenwriter and director. His father Bruce had directed dozens of sitcoms and dramas throughout the 1960s and 70s, and her paternal great-grandparents George and Hattie were, respectively, the head of the trailer department at RKO and a screenwriter. With a natural flair for drama since she was born, it was natural that the youngest Bilson would also make inroads in Hollywood. Her first role came at seven years old, when she was cast alongside comedian Louie Anderson in the comedy “The Wrong Guys” (1988). She enjoyed a small stint in the comic book adaptation miniseries “The Human Target” (ABC, 1992) but did not go full-throttle for the child star life right away, maintaining a fairly normal Los Angeles upbringing. As a student at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Bilson took the stage regularly in both musicals and dramas including “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” and “The Crucible.”
After graduation Bilson spent a year at Grossmont College in San Diego but quickly came to the decision to focus on her acting career. She hit the audition circuit and immediately landed work in commercials. Within a few years she began getting face time on teen-oriented shows including “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” (WB, 1997-2001; UPN, 2001-03), “That 70’s Show” (1998-2006) and “8 Simple Rules” (ABC, 2002-05). The increased exposure led to an audition for the pilot of “The O.C.” – Josh Schwartz’s prime time take on teen life in the wealthy Orange County region of Southern California. Bilson proved to producers that she had not only the look, but the wit to carry off the gorgeous and sometimes bitchy Summer Roberts. The newcomer was thrilled to land the minor role, which was rapidly expanded into a series regular and became key to the show’s success – due in great part to her romance with the character Seth, played by Adrian Brody. To the delight of fans, the couple became a seemingly perfect pair off camera as well, dating through a good deal of the show’s run.
“The O.C.” jettisoned Bilson into the spotlight where she rapidly earned a loyal fanbase among the show’s teen demographic; even earning Teen Choice Awards for her work. She also neared the top of “Hot” charts in men’s magazines like Maxim and FHM. After several successful seasons on TV, Bilson landed a co-starring role in the romantic comedy “The Last Kiss” (2006), in which she offered another side to her persona, starring as a naïve college student who becomes involved with a “taken” older man (Zach Braff). Critics were split on the film, but Bilson, indicating the depth of her dedication to the craft of acting, was determined to continue her film career as, “It's so cool to say you are in a movie with really cool people.” The farewell episode of “The O.C.” aired in 2007 and the following year, Bilson returned to the big screen in the sci-fi adventure “Jumper” (2008). Subsequently, she began a romance with “really cool” co-star Hayden Christensen, as well.