Mischa Barton has recently opened up about the trauma she experienced as a result of her fame from starring in the popular TV show, The O.C. during the early 2000s. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Mischa reflected on the challenges she faced as a young actress thrust into the spotlight at the age of 17.
Being catapulted to fame almost overnight was a surreal experience for Mischa, who had been acting since she was a child. However, the intense level of fame she achieved during that time, when media and paparazzi were particularly brutal towards young female celebrities, took a toll on her mental health. She compared it to the dystopian world depicted in The Hunger Games series.
Mischa revealed that she was constantly hounded by paparazzi and even had her car tracked. The invasion of her privacy left her feeling helpless and, at one point, led her to feel like she was losing her sanity. She acknowledged that therapy could help, but the trauma she endured during her early twenties would not simply vanish overnight.
In addition to the emotional challenges, Mischa also discussed the harsh scrutiny she faced regarding her body during the peak of her fame. She expressed how nothing she did seemed to be good enough and how the media’s treatment of young women’s bodies at that time was incredibly cruel.
Despite the difficulties she faced, Mischa acknowledges that people now recognize the cruelty that young female celebrities endured during that era. She pointed out that there is now empathy for stars like Britney Spears, as people reflect on the mistreatment they suffered.
To read Mischa’s full interview with the Sunday Times, where she discusses her return to television on the show Neighbours, click here.
