![Mischa Barton](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Mischa-Barton-social-image.jpg?quality=100)
Mischa Barton has been in our minds since ‘The O.C.’ Celebrate her 38th birthday with photos of the star through the years.
California, here we come! Mischa Barton is a British-American actress who rocketed to fame on Fox’s rich-teen soap opera The OC. The star, whose birthday is Jan. 24, 1986, got her big break at the age of 17 when she was cast as Marissa Cooper on The OC. Despite her character being beautiful and from a wealthy family, Marissa was plagued by issues, a strained relationship with her mom, and up and down relationship with sweetheart Ryan Atwood. Eventually, Mischa felt her character had run its course after three seasons and asked for her character to be killed off entirely.
Mischa later moved to London to attend drama school and ended up dabbling in fashion with a clothing store there. She flirted with acting, playing roles in independent films, and appearing in a 2010 Law & Order SVU episode. Mischa also appeared on Dancing With The Stars in 2016, but wasn’t exactly light on her feet. After she was eliminated early on, she told several media outlets that she was glad to get kicked off and called the experience on the show ‘awful.’
Mischa joined the cast of MTV’s The Hills in summer 2018, but did not return for the show’s 2nd season.
Want to see more of Mischa? Scroll through the gallery!
‘Lawn Dogs’
![‘Lawn Dogs’](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-1.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton in 1997
![Mischa Barton in 1997](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-2.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton in 2001
![Mischa Barton in 2001](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-3.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton in 2002
![Mischa Barton in 2002](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-4.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton at a Breast Cancer Research Gala
![Mischa Barton at a Breast Cancer Research Gala](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-5.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton in 2003
![Mischa Barton in 2003](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-6.jpg?w=680)
‘The OC’
![‘The OC’](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mischa-Barton-gallery-7.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton in 2016
![Mischa Barton in 2016](http://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mischa-barton-2.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton Outside Los Angeles Superior Court
![Mischa Barton Outside Los Angeles Superior Court](http://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mischa-barton-1.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton at the 70th Cannes Film Festival
![Mischa Barton at the 70th Cannes Film Festival](http://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mischa-barton-3.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton Leaves ‘The View’ in New York City
![Mischa Barton Leaves ‘The View’ in New York City](http://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mischa-barton-4.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton Kisses a Mystery Man
![Mischa Barton Kisses a Mystery Man](http://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mischa-barton-and-hot-mystery-man-backgrid-gal.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton Lunches With a Guy
![Mischa Barton Lunches With a Guy](http://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mischa-barton-and-hot-mystery-man-backgrid-gal1.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton at the Premiere of ‘The Hills: New Beginnings’
![Mischa Barton at the Premiere of ‘The Hills: New Beginnings’](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Mischa-Barton-1-1.jpg?w=680)
Mischa Barton at the 2019 Flaunt It Awards
![Mischa Barton at the 2019 Flaunt It Awards](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Mischa-Barton-2-1.jpg?w=680)