Mischa Barton revealed
From teen idol to style queen, there's more to this LA starlet than meets the eye
Mischa Barton is a remarkably bright, sophisticated, and wise-beyond-her-years teenage Hollywood surperstar. Here the British-born beauty, who was brought up in London before moving to New York aged eight, talks about paparazzi pressures, and reveals her fashion philosophy and the problems of dating when you are famous.
The OC has provided an amazing ride to fame for you. Is that sometimes difficult to cope with?
'I have had to make a few lifestyle adjustments. I don't go to places where a lot of celebrities hang out and I'm very careful now about whether people are following me. I usually try to dress down and wear big sunglasses and not spend a lot of time in one store if I'm out shopping. Or if I'm with friends, I make sure we don't make a fuss or start dancing on tables because once the media picks up on that, suddenly you're this wild club girl, which I'm not. But The OC has been incredible for me and I'm very grateful.'
Do you feel you've changed since The OC started and you were a relative unknown?
'No, not really. That was a concern for me but I'm pretty determined to not become caught up in the celebrity culture and just focus on my work and keep close to my friends. Just keep it real and let the rest float by.'
Part of your appeal seems to be your status as a fashion icon. Do you feel a lot of pressure from that?
'(Laughs) I like to try out different things and I think I have my own style when I'm mixing and matching clothes. I don't try to look too sophisticated or too chic, I like something more natural although I'm always on the lookout for new things. Sometimes I like dressing up and looking sexy, but I'm not going to get trapped by being put in a position where I absolutely have to have the best outfit on. That's ridiculous and young women should feel more free to try out different looks and not feel like they always have to follow one style or another.'
Who are your favourite designers?
'I love a lot of different designers. I've worn Tom Ford dresses, I love Roberto Cavalli, I love Chanel jackets and coats, and I also wear a lot of thrift shop stuff that is kind of retro. There are also a lot of up-and-coming designers who I wear because I just like to experiment. I love being able to play with my look.'
What about the clothes that Marissa gets to wear on The OC?
'I have some great people I work with on the show to pick out Marissa's outfits. That's so much fun for me because we're all agreed that Marissa shouldn't have one fixed style. She's a smart and independent woman and her choice of clothes should reflect that so we're able to choose a lot of different looks for her and I love that.'
Do a lot of teenagers and young women come up to you on the street?
'Sometimes - they're usually really sweet. Most of the people I've met who want to talk about the show are really interested in the kinds of things Marissa is going through because they're very universal experiences in some ways. She's learning to deal with a very dysfunctional family, she's dealing with guys who aren't always that great to her, and she's trying to figure out her place in her little world. Even though she's privileged, her life isn't that much different in most respects from what a lot of young women are going through.'
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