Ben McKenzie is an American actor and director, best known for his roles in popular television series. He gained fame for portraying Ryan Atwood in the teen drama The O.C. and later starred as James Gordon in the series Gotham, which is based on the Batman comic book universe. In addition to his acting career, McKenzie has also worked as a writer and director. He was born on September 12, 1978, in Austin, Texas, and graduated from University of Virginia with a degree in economics and foreign affairs before pursuing acting.