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‘The O.C.’ Alum Mischa Barton Opens Up on ‘Trauma’ of Making It Big at a ‘Young Age’
Mischa Barton rocketed to fame as troubled rich girl Marissa Cooper on the early-2000s hit The O.C., with Entertainment Weekly dubbing her the “It Girl” of 2003. But in a recent interview, the 37-year-old opened up about the “trauma” of making it so big at such a young age.
“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life, but there’s a certain amount of trauma… that just doesn’t go away,” she told the London Times. Indeed, after quitting the show in 2006 amid claims of bullying, the actress was arrested for DUI for marijuana possession and sent to court-ordered rehab.
Two years later, Mischa was hospitalized under a psych hold. Another hospitalization for a mental health evaluation followed in 2017. “Fame was a double-edged sword for Mischa,” an insider tells In Touch. “She wasn’t prepared for it and lost a sense of who she was.” Now she’s back to acting, currently filming a romantic comedy in Australia, and more protective of herself. “She knows her limits now,” explains the insider. “She’s older, stronger and determined not to be run ragged again.”
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