Mischa Barton

I re-watched "Lawn Dogs" the other day and was reminded of how talented she was as a child actor. Her performances in that, "Pups", and even "The Sixth Sense" demonstrated a lot of nuance and intelligence for someone her age. Shit really seemed to hit the fan when she became a network starlet on "The OC", and she's never recovered. For the past decade, she has mostly seemed to be a sad, chain-smoking drug addict with multiple bouts of substance-induced schizophrenia, and is stuck in Z-movie hell.

That's what happens when you fall in with the wrong crowd. I also think she may have been one of Harvey's girls.

I thought she was great on the OC at first.

I remember her presence in the first episode and thought, "She's going to be a star."

I think drugs had another idea.

She was good on The OC as the quintessential California girl. But Marissa as a character was insufferable. I don't understand how Josh Schwartz keeps getting work.

What did cause her breakdown?

She was stunning on OC. Still beautiful, but it is hard to look like a teenager forever.

What has she been up to lately? Any recent news?

Did she lose all her money, or does she still at least have OC money to live well?

OP made me watch Lawn Dogs, which I didn't know, and I quite enjoyed it. I had no idea Mischa Barton had a career before the ABC show Once and Again (and a stage mom of course). It's sad when a child actor shows so much promise and versatility in their acting and then falls in with the wrong crowd (which I think was the Lindsay Lohan crowd for Mischa) and she never lives up to her potential. Anyway, to my big surprise, YouTube let me upload a restored version of the movie in its full HD glory, so those of you inclined to watch it can follow the link below.

She's a big ol' mess, the 21st century's Frances Farmer, but without the politics and literacy.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3TmqOorZ6csm%2BvzqZmraCimq6le5JqbWlqZ26AbrnIrJqhmV2XrrPAzqc%3D