Rachel Bilson

Rachel Bilson has been an actress for a long time, her career covering 30+ years. While she has enjoyed some great success with TV series such as The O.C. and Hart of Dixie, lately things have slowed down tremendously for the actress.

Did the COVID pandemic have anything to do with it or did Bilson simply step away from the bright Hollywood lights on her own? Here is what we know about why you haven’t seen her lately.

RACHEL BILSON STARTED ACTING IN THE 90s

Rachel Bilson began her career in 1992 with a bit part in the Rick Springfield-led TV series Human Target. From that point, it would be another six years before Bilson would find work. This time it would be on the pilot episode for the TV series, It’s True, one that starred Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. Unfortunately, the series was not picked up, so it was a one-off for Bilson.

There was another huge gap (five years) before Rachel Bilson would again find work in Hollywood. This time it was on the TV series 8 Simple Rules. Her next appearance was on the hit series, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. This all was happening for Bilson in 2003, which was a key year for her.

RACHEL BILSON STARRED IN THE O.C.

Yes, 2003 was a good year for Rachel Bilson because this is when her career took off. Not only was she in 8 Simple Rules and Buffy, but she was picked up for the series The O.C. The series enjoyed a four-season run and Bilson appeared in every episode.

The series was notable as a sort of launching pad for stars such as Ben McKenzie, who would go on to appear as James Gordon in Gotham and Adam Brody (Shazam!, Single Parents), whom Bilson began to date while on the series. Bilson’s character initially was to only appear in a few episodes but her on-screen romance with Brody’s Seth Cohen gave fans more of what they were wanting so her character was developed into a series regular. Her relationship with Brody lasted three years but it would be the start of a pattern for the actress.

During Bilson’s time on The O.C. she stepped out for a few other projects. She showed up on MADtv, Chuck, and That 70’s Show. She also made the feature film, The Last Kiss, with Zach Braff (Scrubs).

AFTER THE O.C. SHE STARRED IN MOVIES

Rachel Bilson moved on from The O.C. and jumped into features. In fact, her first feature was actually called Jumper, wherein she met Hayden Christensen and yes, the two began a relationship.

Bilson’s feature film slate during this time included New York, I Love You, Waiting for Forever, Life Happens, and The To-Do List. Also during this time, she had a recurring role in How I Met Your Mother.

It took Rachel Bilson a few years after The O.C. but she finally landed a starring role in a TV series. She played Dr. Zoe Hart in the series Hart of Dixie. The series followed top graduate, Zoe Hart, who has plans of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. But her dreams fall apart, and Zoe finds herself accepting an offer from a stranger, Dr. Harley Wilkes.

His offer was to have Zoe work at his practice, but the catch would be that she, an out-and-out New Yorker, would have to relocate to the small town of Bluebell, Alabama. She finally accepts but when she arrives, she finds out that Dr. Wilkes has suddenly passed away, but in his will, he left her half of his practice. The series enjoyed a four-season run but when it ended in 2015, Bilson stepped away from acting for a couple of years.

Rachel Bilson returned to acting in 2017 with a 5-episode stint on the hit series, Nashville. Since that time, Bilson has been seen less and less on the big and small screens. She had a 2-episode appearance on the series Drunk History, appeared in the TV movie, Lovestruck, and most recently appeared in an episode of the new TV series, Accused.

RACHEL BILSON’S FAMOUS BOYFRIENDS

When it comes to relationships, Rachel Bilson seems to gravitate toward co-stars. She did with Adam Brody and then the same with Hayden Christensen. To her credit though, she was engaged to Christensen, though they eventually called it off, but the two have a child together and did enjoy a seven-year relationship.

That brings us to Bill Hader. The pair officially stepped out earlier this year, announcing the fact that they were indeed dating. It was all serious-looking until it wasn’t. Not even six months after the pair were a couple, they were no longer. Rachel Bilson and Hader, if you’re a curious lot, met while filming the rom-com The To Do List.

SHE IS A MOTHER

Ever since Rachel Bilson moved on from her acting career (let’s hope it isn’t over), she has devoted her time to her daughter. When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, she was looking forward to making holiday memories with her then-6-year-old daughter, Briar Rose. Bilson shares custody with her ex, Hayden Christensen. But in the lead-up to the Christmas holiday, Bilson explained just how she saw the holidays with her and her daughter. 

“We’ve been bundled up with my mom and my family, so we get to do it together, which I am so grateful for,” Ms. Bilson told PEOPLE at the time. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re usually in Canada [with Christensen’s family], so this year we’ll get to do things with my family here [in California]. So that’s a plus.”

She was also well aware of the lasting effect she has had on people’s lives while she was starring in the hit TV series, The O.C. It was on that show that the “Chrismukkah” episodes were made famous. “It’s so funny — I am a true Christmakkah participant because my dad is Jewish and my mom was raised Catholic, so I had that experience growing up. So I was like ‘Oh, this is what it is!’ They gave it a name and everything,” she says. “I feel very lucky to have been a part of it but it is kind of funny that something has stuck for — what has it been, 16 years?”

RACHEL BILSON NOW

Rachel Bilson has more on her resume than just acting (and dating co-stars). She also has a hand in fashion. As a self-described fashion junkie, Bilson approached DKNY Jeans and together they came up with Bilson’s Edie Rose collection. She also did some modeling for her clothing line.

SHE HAS A PODCAST ABOUT THE O.C.

Rachel Bilson is taking responsibility for something that is long overdue. On The O.C., she played Summer Roberts and finally offered an apology to actor Tate Donovan, who not only starred as Jimmy Cooper on the series but also got behind the camera to direct an episode. It was this episode that Bilson says she felt she needed to apologize for.

Bilson wanted to make sure Donovan knew she was sorry if any of her on-set boorish behavior caused him any unnecessary drama. When Donovan appeared on Bilson’s podcast, Welcome to the O.C., Bitches, (which she does with former The O.C. co-star, Melinda Clarke), she offered her heartfelt apology.

“You went on to direct us on The O.C.,” Bilson began, “which we can talk about more, and I know some of us kids were little assholes,” she said. “And I think that that speaks to that whole unaware, young, youthful, ignorant — just idiots, you know what I mean? And I hope I wasn’t as bad as it’s come off…You know, you get influenced, I’d say, by your surroundings.”

To Donovan’s credit, he held no ill will towards Bilson, though he did agree with her possibly being influenced by the other young actors on the set. He also told her that she was “a total sweetheart to work with.”

As of now, Rachel Bilson does not have anything lined up, other than her continued work on her Welcome to the O.C., Bitches podcast. She seems content, for the time being, to continue that work and be a mom to her daughter. At 41 years of age, Bilson has plenty of time to get back in front of the camera, if that is where she wants to go.