Mischa Barton
Mischa Anne Marsden Barton[1] (born 24 January 1986)[2] is a British-American film, television, and stage actress. She began her career on the stage, appearing in Tony Kushner's Slavs! and took the lead in James Lapine's Twelve Dreams at New York City's Lincoln Center. She made her screen debut with a guest appearance on the American soap opera All My Children (1995), and voicing a character on the Nickelodeon cartoon series KaBlam! (1996–97). Her first major film role was as the protagonist of Lawn Dogs (1997), a drama co-starring Sam Rockwell. She appeared in major pictures such as the romantic comedy Notting Hill (1999) and M. Night Shyamalan's psychological thriller The Sixth Sense (1999). She also starred in the indie crime drama Pups (1999).
Mischa Barton
Barton later appeared in the independent drama Lost and Delirious (2001) and guest-starred as Evan Rachel Wood's girlfriend on ABC's Once and Again (2001–02). She played Marissa Cooper in the Fox television series The O.C. (2003–2006), for which she received two Teen Choice Awards. The role brought Barton into mainstream fame, and Entertainment Weekly named her the "It Girl" of 2003.
Barton has since appeared in the comedy remake St Trinian's (2007), the Richard Attenborough–directed drama Closing the Ring (2007) and Assassination of a High School President (2008). She returned to television, starring in the short-lived Ashton Kutcher-produced CW series The Beautiful Life (2009).
In 2012, she returned to the stage, performing in the Irish production of Steel Magnolias. She also appeared alongside Martin Sheen in Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain (2014). She has garnered critical praise for her roles in independent films, with the Los Angeles Times praising her "standout" performance in Starcrossed (2014). Barton was cast in the first season of the MTV series The Hills: New Beginnings (2019–2021), a reboot of The Hills. In 2023, she was cast in an extended guest role for the rebooted Australian soap opera, Neighbours on Amazon Freevee and Network 10.
Early life
Barton was born at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in Hammersmith,[3] London,[2][4] to an Irish mother,[3] Nuala Quinn-Barton,[5] a producer, and an English father, Paul Marsden Barton,[5] a foreign exchange broker from Manchester.[3]
Her maternal grandfather was an Irish language professor at Queen's University Belfast.[6] She has two sisters, Hania (younger) and Zoe (older), the latter a barrister in London.[7] Barton has stated that she briefly attended St. Paul's Girls' School in Hammersmith,[8] but her father's work took the family to New York City when Barton was five years old. In 2006,[3] she became a naturalised citizen of the United States, but retained her British citizenship. She is also eligible for Irish citizenship through her mother.[9]
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 London, in June and July 2006,[10] at Sir Richard Attenborough's urging,[11] after he directed her in Closing the Ring.
Modelling, fashion design, and endorsements
Barton has been in many television commercials and print advertising campaigns. Barton has modeled for companies Calvin Klein, bebe stores, Aéropostale, Monsoon Accessorize, Dooney & Bourke, JC (Jeans and Clothes), European clothing line Morgan de Toi, Jaspal, and Neutrogena skincare products. She became the spokesperson for Keds Sneakers, substantially increasing their sales.[61] In Australia, she appears in commercials for teen magazine Famous and was the guest of honour at retail giant David Jones Tahitian Summer Collection launch.[62] She has also endorsed Chanel jewelry, appearing at events for the brand. In a 2005 interview,[63] she stated that she liked the Chanel brand because they produced a large number of clip-on earrings suitable for women who did not have pierced ears, as she did not at the time. In 2009, having had her ears pierced for her role in The Beautiful Life, she modeled jewelry for the company Inspired Creations, including pierced earrings and their Waxing Poetic range of charms.[64]
Barton is a self-admitted fan of magic. In addition to being a guest member of the Magic Castle, she is also friends with a number of magicians and has often acted as a guest assistant to some of them, participating in illusions including being guillotined and sawed in half.[65][66]
In 2008, she won the InStyle "icon of the year" award[67] from Karl Lagerfeld at the Viper awards in Berlin.[68][69]
Barton also became a spokesperson for the SAFE (Skin Awareness for Everyone) campaign in 2007.[70] In addition, she lent her name to the TRAID campaign (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) in association with Visa Swap.[71] Barton was photographed in April 2007 for the Fall 2007/2008 advertising campaign for Italian clothing brand Iceberg, modelling with Nicolas Bemberg.[72]
In July 2008, she created a 14-piece handbag collection for online retailer ASOS.com.[73] Barton was reportedly very involved in the line which retails from £20 to £145. She told ASOS magazine that she first discovered the website through her sister.[74]
In December 2008, Barton premiered her line of headbands released on the Stacy Lapidus line. The headbands cost from $90 to $200. She also has a handbag line for London-based Ri2k, which is sold in the United Kingdom and Australia only.[75] In early 2009, she became the "new face" of Herbal Essences.[76]
In June 2010, she was announced as the face of Philipp Plein couture. Plein said, "Being in the limelight for a young and beautiful girl, the looks of course always get a lot of attention, Mischa Barton got a lot and learned to live with her fame. For me it was the big challenge to again show her as a Diva, a Rock 'n' Roll Goddess". The campaign will be circulated in international editions of leading fashion magazines.[77]
In May 2011, Barton became the "exceptional godmother" of the Catalan designer Rosa Clará for her 2011 collection at Barcelona Bridal Week. Along with the Mexican singer Paulina Rubio, they became the stars of the show to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the signature of wedding dresses from Barcelona.[78][79]
In October 2011, Barton appeared in a meat-themed photoshoot for Tyler Shields that was showcased at the Imitate Modern Gallery in London.[80]
In 2012, Barton opened a short-lived clothes boutique in Spitafields, London, later revealing “Retail is not exactly a cakewalk, so just taking care of the store and dealing with production, quality and employees. Just the whole thing became overwhelming and beyond expensive.”[81][82]