Hollywood’s newest financial vigilante isn’t Batman or Iron Man—it’s Ryan Atwood. That’s right, Ben McKenzie, the brooding heartthrob from “The O.C.,” has transformed into crypto’s most unexpected nemesis. His new documentary “Everyone Is Lying to You for Money” might be the most brutally honest title in film history.
McKenzie has spent the last few years morphing from teen drama icon to cryptocurrency truth-teller. His evolution would make for a wild character arc on any TV show. The actor-turned-financial-crusader co-wrote “Easy Money” with journalist Jacob Silverman last year, basically calling the crypto industry a glorified casino.
“The entire thing is rotten to its core,” McKenzie declared at SXSW where his documentary premiered. Tell us how you really feel, Ben! His unfiltered take sounds like someone who found out their favorite restaurant has been serving cardboard instead of pizza crust.
The documentary shows McKenzie confronting crypto evangelists with the tenacity of a man who’s done his homework. He’s essentially saying what many of us suspected: those NFT-pushing celebrities probably couldn’t explain blockchain if their mansions depended on it.
What makes this crusade fascinating is McKenzie’s admission that he nearly fell for it himself. “I almost invested in 2017,” he confessed during the film’s Q&A. Nothing builds credibility quite like acknowledging your own susceptibility to the very thing you’re criticizing.
The film rips into celebrity shills who promoted cryptocurrencies without disclosing they were paid. McKenzie’s frustration feels personal, as if Matt Damon’s “Fortune Favors the Brave” crypto commercial physically hurt him. Can’t blame the guy—that ad aged like milk left in a hot car.
McKenzie isn’t just throwing stones; he’s proposing solutions. He advocates for stricter regulations and basic consumer protections. Revolutionary concept: maybe financial products should be transparent about risks? Wild idea, I know.
His transition from Chino’s troubled teen to financial whistleblower isn’t what fans predicted twenty years ago. But in a world where Ashton Kutcher is a tech investor and Gwyneth Paltrow sells vagina-scented candles, McKenzie’s pivot makes perfect sense.
The documentary serves as a sobering reminder that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is—especially if Kim Kardashian is promoting it on Instagram. McKenzie’s message is clear: just because a celebrity endorses something doesn’t mean it’s legit.
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of McKenzie’s crusade is watching someone from inside Hollywood call out the BS. It’s like finding out one of the cool kids has been secretly reporting on the popular clique’s scandals.
The film joins a growing chorus of crypto skepticism following spectacular collapses like FTX. McKenzie might have played a character who burned down a house in “The O.C.,” but now he’s torching an entire industry’s façade—and it makes for much better viewing.
