Actor Adam Brody dislikes socialising with his The O.c. co-star Benjamin Mckenzie - because it makes him feel uncomfortable, like a "fictional person".

Brody, who played McKenzie's character Ryan Atwood's surrogate brother Seth Cohen on the now-defunct TV show, is convinced strangers are laughing at them when the twosome are out in public.

He says, "I was with Ben McKenzie yesterday, who plays Ryan and I guess we're adopted brothers (in the show).

"I'm always embarrassed hanging out with him because I feel like a fictional person. I feel that everyone who recognises us is for sure laughing at us.

"If you work with someone, you like them, but then you're out in public... I would laugh at us, if it wasn't us. 'Oh they're really hanging out! Cool.'"