Mischa Barton alleged that she was in a relationship with Ben McKenzie when she was 17 and he was 25.
Mischa's debut as Marissa in The O.C. hit screens in 2003, when she was 17. She previously spoke about feeling pressured to lose her virginity during The O.C. in a 2021 personal essay, writing, "I eventually did the deed. I feel a little guilty because I let it happen. I felt so much pressure to have sex, not just from him, but society in general."
In a new episode of Call Her Daddy, Mischa was asked what it was like being significantly younger than some of her costars. "It was a bit tricky for everyone. I was experiencing all my firsts and I was so young and my mom would be on set," she replied. "I just needed a lot more attention in that sense because I had my mom there and there was stuff going on, and I was just finishing up school."
Then, when host Alexandra Cooper asked Mischa what it was like acting in a romantic storyline opposite a 25-year-old Ben, Mischa said, "It wasn't just onscreen."
