Mischa Barton Beautifull ActressMischa Anne Marsden Barton, (born 24 January 1986) is an British-American film, television, and stage actress, perhaps best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series The O.C. Mischa Barton was born in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom to an Irish mother, Nuala (née Quinn), a photographer, and an English father, Paul Marsden Barton, a foreign exchange broker. She has two sisters, younger Hania and elder Zoe, a barrister in London. Barton moved to New York City at the age of five and became a naturalised citizen of the United States in Los Angeles on 3 February 2006. Barton graduated from the Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 2004, and took a summer short course called Acting Shakespeare at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in June and July 2006, at Sir Richard Attenborough's urging, after he directed her in Closing the Ring.
Barton began acting at the age of eight (as she said on The Friday Night Project), co-starring in the Off Broadway premiere of Slavs!, written by Tony Kushner. She appeared in several other Off Broadway productions, taking a lead role in James Lapine's Twelve Dreams at Lincoln Center. She made her film debut in Lawn Dogs, which won awards at film festivals around the world. Since then, she has appeared in several films, such as The Sixth Sense, Notting Hill, St Trinians, and Closing the Ring. In St Trinians, she appeared as a former head girl of that school advising current senior pupils on fashion and style. Barton first appeared on television in 1996, as young Lily Montgomery in the soap opera All My Children, and in a modern re-make of Bonnie and Clyde. She guest-starred in eight episodes of the television series Once and Again as Jessie Sammler's (Evan Rachel Wood's) girlfriend, Katie Singer. Other television appearances include an episode of the Fox series Fastlane, James Blunt's music video "Goodbye My Lover", and Enrique Iglesias' music video "Addicted".
In August 2003, Fox premiered the television series The O.C., about affluent teenagers with stormy personal lives who reside in scenic Orange County, California. The show became an overnight success due to its large fanbase, and resulted in Barton's fame being increased through her role as Marissa Cooper. Barton departed from the show in the third-season finale in May 2006. The O.C. dropped in ratings dramatically during its third and fourth seasons, and ended in early 2007. In July 2006, Barton appeared on the British comedy variety show The Friday Night Project as a guest host. In 2008, Barton appeared on the popular show Gok's Fashion Fix on Channel 4. In the episode, Gok goes on an exclusive shopping trip in Paris with Mischa. She was filming Bhopal: Prayer for Rain in India alongside Martin Sheen. She appeared in Assassination of a High School President, co-starring Bruce Willis, when the film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. She has completed filming Walled In, Homecoming and Don't Fade Away, which are all expected to be released in 2009. You and I and Assassination of a High School President are also scheduled to be released in 2009.
It has been widely reported that Barton is in talks to join the cast of the hit television series Ugly Betty in a 5-episode guest appearance. In a December 2007 interview, she indicated that she would return to television for the right project; "It's not that I dislike doing television at all. It would be interesting having more creative control over where the storylines go or the characters. But for the right thing, of course." Barton was recently cast in The Science of Cool. According to reports, she will also be starring in A Beautiful Life a new series on The CW.
Barton began acting at the age of eight (as she said on The Friday Night Project), co-starring in the Off Broadway premiere of Slavs!, written by Tony Kushner. She appeared in several other Off Broadway productions, taking a lead role in James Lapine's Twelve Dreams at Lincoln Center. She made her film debut in Lawn Dogs, which won awards at film festivals around the world. Since then, she has appeared in several films, such as The Sixth Sense, Notting Hill, St Trinians, and Closing the Ring. In St Trinians, she appeared as a former head girl of that school advising current senior pupils on fashion and style. Barton first appeared on television in 1996, as young Lily Montgomery in the soap opera All My Children, and in a modern re-make of Bonnie and Clyde. She guest-starred in eight episodes of the television series Once and Again as Jessie Sammler's (Evan Rachel Wood's) girlfriend, Katie Singer. Other television appearances include an episode of the Fox series Fastlane, James Blunt's music video "Goodbye My Lover", and Enrique Iglesias' music video "Addicted".
In August 2003, Fox premiered the television series The O.C., about affluent teenagers with stormy personal lives who reside in scenic Orange County, California. The show became an overnight success due to its large fanbase, and resulted in Barton's fame being increased through her role as Marissa Cooper. Barton departed from the show in the third-season finale in May 2006. The O.C. dropped in ratings dramatically during its third and fourth seasons, and ended in early 2007. In July 2006, Barton appeared on the British comedy variety show The Friday Night Project as a guest host. In 2008, Barton appeared on the popular show Gok's Fashion Fix on Channel 4. In the episode, Gok goes on an exclusive shopping trip in Paris with Mischa. She was filming Bhopal: Prayer for Rain in India alongside Martin Sheen. She appeared in Assassination of a High School President, co-starring Bruce Willis, when the film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. She has completed filming Walled In, Homecoming and Don't Fade Away, which are all expected to be released in 2009. You and I and Assassination of a High School President are also scheduled to be released in 2009.
It has been widely reported that Barton is in talks to join the cast of the hit television series Ugly Betty in a 5-episode guest appearance. In a December 2007 interview, she indicated that she would return to television for the right project; "It's not that I dislike doing television at all. It would be interesting having more creative control over where the storylines go or the characters. But for the right thing, of course." Barton was recently cast in The Science of Cool. According to reports, she will also be starring in A Beautiful Life a new series on The CW.
