Peter Gallagher ‘Not Surprised’ by Fandom for TV Son Adam Brody: ‘I’m Proud of Him All the Time’ (Exclusive)

Peter Gallagher is giving his TV son Adam Brody his flowers.

The Humane star, 69, who starred with Brody, 44, on The O.C., exclusively shared his thoughts on the “Adam Brody Renaissance” hitting the internet since the debut of his new Netflix rom-com Nobody Wants This.

“I wouldn’t go as far as being a proud dad, and I haven’t seen the show, but I’m proud of him all the time as his friend and former TV dad,” Gallagher tells PEOPLE at the opening night of Broadway’s Left on Tenth, which he stars in alongside Julianna Margulies, on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

“And I’m not surprised at all [of the renaissance],” he adds. “He’s so talented and I’m glad he’s still doing his thing.”

Gallagher got to see this talent firsthand on four seasons of The O.C. while playing Sandy Cohen, the father of Brody’s character Seth Cohen, on the hit teen drama. The two had a close bond on the show, which appears to have translated off-screen. 

While it’s been more than two decades since the show premiered, he also shared with PEOPLE that there are some things that have stuck with him, including the word “Chrismukkah,” which Brody’s character coined on the show.

“I just remember hearing Chrismukkah for the first time and thinking, ‘That’s brilliant. I think that’s gonna stick,’ and it did,” Gallagher tells PEOPLE.

And he isn’t the only O.C. alum that has praised Brody for his recent step back into the limelight with his new character, swoon-worthy rabbi Noah Roklov, in Nobody Wants This. 

Rachel Bilson, who played Brody’s girlfriend — and later wife — Summer Roberts on the Fox series, also praised his performance, and noted that she thought Brody’s renaissance never left. 

“I feel like it’s always been there,” Bilson, 43, told PEOPLE at a SimpliSafe launch event earlier this month. “But if it is, it’s well deserved.”

“I mean, he is awesome,” added the actress. “He’s the best.”

Nobody Wants This debuted to huge fanfare on Sept. 26, and was renewed for a second season shortly after. The story follows Brody’s character Noah and Kristen Bell’s Joanne — a sex podcaster — as they fall in love despite the obstacles.

“I hear everyone loves it and I couldn’t be more excited, ’cause literally Kristen and Adam both I love, and are like my people,” Bilson said of the series. “So I’m really excited about it and excited for them.”