Mischa Barton, best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the hit teen drama series The O.C, is set to join the cast of Australia’s longest-running soap opera, Neighbours. The news has caused excitement among fans, who are eager to see what new character she will play and what she will bring to the show. In this article, we’ll take a look at where the rest of the cast of The O.C are now and what they’ve been up to since the show ended.
Mischa Barton, best known for playing Marissa Cooper in the hit teen drama series The O.C., is confirmed to guest star in the revived soap opera Neighbours. She will play a new character named Reece who is an American and new to Erinsborough. Described as “not quite who she appears to be,” Reece’s storyline is already intriguing fans of the show.
It has been over 20 years since The O.C. first premiered, and it made Mischa, as well as her co-stars Rachel Bilson, Adam Brody, and Ben McKenzie, household names. Since the end of the series, cast members have been busy pursuing various careers, from starring in films, getting married, having babies, to facing personal struggles.
Mischa’s character, Marisa Cooper, was portrayed as the girl-next-door with a wardrobe full of Chanel, pots of money, and a substance abuse problem. Mischa’s real-life struggles mirrored those of her character, as she was arrested in 2007 for marijuana possession and driving without a license. The actress was also sent to court-ordered rehab as part of her sentence. Two years later, she was admitted to a mental health ward after exhibiting worrisome behavior attributed to exhaustion.
Mischa’s career took somewhat of a backseat, starring in limited-release movies and short-lived series after her struggles. In 2019, she came 11th on the 22nd season of Dancing With the Stars. Her personal life has also been tumultuous. In 2017, two ex-boyfriends attempted to sell intimate tapes and photos of her that were taken without her consent, leading Mischa to sue successfully to block their distribution. In doing so, she stated that she fought not only for herself but for all women out there.
Rachel Bilson’s character, Summer Roberts, was initially supposed to be a supporting character but was upgraded to become one of the show’s four main stars after Rachel nailed the role. Life later imitated art as Rachel and Adam, who played Seth, started dating before splitting in 2006. Rachel was burgled by The Bling Ring group for an amount ranging between $130,000 and $300,000 of stolen property. She dated her Jumper co-star Hayden Christensen, with the pair dating on and off for ten years, welcoming their daughter Briar Rose in 2014. The couple separated in 2017 amid rumors that Christensen cheated with his Little Italy co-star, Emma Roberts. Career-wise, Rachel starred in Hart of Dixie from 2011 to 2015 and had stints in How I Met Your Mother and Nashville. Currently, she is hosting the popular podcast titled ‘Welcome to the OC, B***hes’ with her former co-star Melinda Clarke.
Adam Brody’s character, Seth Cohen, who played a comic-book-loving, slightly nerdy boy-next-door, was an instant hit with viewers, and his on-screen romance with Rachel Bilson’s Summer Roberts made female fans swoon. After splitting from Rachel Bilson in 2006, Adam started dating Gossip Girl actress Leighton Meester in 2011, whom he met while filming indie film The Oranges. The couple got married in 2014 and now have two children together. Adam has appeared in several films as a supporting role, including Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Jennifer’s Body, Scream 4, and Baggage Claim. He recently reprised his role as the superhero version of Freddy in the sequel titled Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Ben McKenzie portrayed the challenging character Ryan Attwood, The O.C.’s resident bad boy, with ease. After the show ended, Ben scored several successful roles, with TNT’s drama Southland and Fox’s Batman prequel series Gotham being his most significant track records. On the latter show, he met and began dating actress Morena Baccarin, with whom he got married in 2017. They share daughter Frances and son Arthur. Recently, Ben appeared in the romantic comedy titled I Want You Back, and he scored the leading role in The Hurt Unit, an upcoming medical drama from ABC.
Tate Donovan played Jimmy Cooper, who put on a happy-go-lucky front but was actually in mountains of debt from trying to live up to the extravagant lifestyle portrayed in The O.C. Donovan had several high-profile romances with Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock before eventually getting married to actress Corinne Kingsbury in 2005. Following the end of The O.C, he appeared in a few noteworthy titles, including Argo, Manchester by the Sea, and Rocketman, as well as on TV shows such as Damages, 24: Live Another Day, The Man in the High Castle, and MacGyver.
Finally, Peter Gallagher portrayed Sandy Cohen, Seth Cohen’s father, and the savior of young hoodlum Ryan Attwood. Gallagher already had a successful career before starring in The O.C., having appeared in blockbuster movies such as Titanic, While You Were Sleeping, and American Beauty. He is married to Paula Harwood and has two grown-up children, James and Kathryn. Since the show ended, he has appeared in numerous shows, including Rescue Me, Californication, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He even joined the Grey’s Anatomy cast in its 18th season, where he reprised his role as Dr. Alan Hamilton.
In conclusion, The O.C. actors’ careers extended beyond the beloved show, with some pursuing successful acting careers, some exploring different entertainment genres, and some overcoming personal struggles. Nevertheless, they remain memorable for their portrayal of characters that touched the hearts of viewers of all ages.
That wraps up our article on Mischa Barton joining Neighbours and where the cast of The O.C are now. It’s always interesting to keep up with the careers of our favorite TV stars, and we wish Mischa all the best in her new role. It’s clear that the cast of The O.C have gone on to do great things since the show ended, and it’s exciting to see where they will go next. As always, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for any updates and looking forward to more great performances from these talented actors. Thank you for joining us on this journey down memory lane, and we hope to see you soon for our next TV update!
