‘The OC’ Stars Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan Reunite Nearly 20 Years After Finale

Nearly two decades since their hit Fox series The O.C. ended, OG stars Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan staged a reunion of sorts right before the 4th of July holiday.

Gallagher, 70, shared a sweet snap of him and Rowan, 60, standing in front of a green bush via Instagram on Friday, July 3.

“Look who came to visit! Kirsten and Sandy are wishing you all a Happy Fourth! […] and sending you our love,” Gallagher wrote in the caption. “Great to see her, her lovely family and long-time pal. Here’s to the next occasion!”

That prompted a wellspring of love from Gallagher’s 143K followers, including some requesting that the two former costars return to the show, which still has die-hard fans in 2026.

The O.C. was originally broadcast on Fox from 2003 to 2007. The show initially centered around Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a rebellious teenager from Chino, California, who is taken in by Sandy and Kirsten Cohen (Gallagher and Rowan), who live in the ultra-rich Newport Beach. Together with their geeky teen son Seth (Adam Brody), the Cohens help Ryan ingratiate himself into Newport Beach’s high society, where he eventually befriends and dates self-destructive socialite, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton).

Speculation about a potential O.C. reboot has circulated for years. In 2021, while visiting costars Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke’s podcast, “Welcome to the O.C., Bitches!,” Brody commented on whether or not a revival could work.

“I kind of don’t think it can be done because socially we’re in a different place and we’re in a more conscious place,” Brody, 46, said. “While The O.C. claims to be — in a similar sense as a Gossip Girl — while it would sort of say it’s a critique, it’s not. It’s a celebration — it’s a celebration of affluence in my opinion.”

At the premiere of Crime 101 in February 2026, costar Tate Donovan, who played Jimmy Cooper on the hit series, was more receptive to a potential return to the iconic teen drama. When E! News’ Erin Lim Rhodes asked if he would join a reboot, Donovan, 62, responded, “Oh yeah. [Creator] Josh Schwartz is an amazing guy. All those people would be so fun, but what would I play? The grandfather?”

While an official O.C. revival isn’t in active development, fans can enjoy Gallagher and Rowan’s nostalgic reunion right before America’s 250th birthday.