Mischa Barton Reflects On Secret Relationship With ‘The O.C.’ Co-Star Ben McKenzie, Reveals Producers Were Concerned About Their Eight-Year Age Gap

The O.C. star Mischa Barton recently reflected on the experience she had starring in the hit teen drama when she was just 17 years old. The actress revealed during a recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she had many “first” experiences on set, including her first relationship with her co-star Ben McKenzie.

“I went into that [show] a virgin, a kid,” she admitted. “Acting with people older than me was a bit like, ‘Oh wow, they know what they’re doing. There’s going to be relationships on this show and you’re going to need to play that part.’ I didn’t feel really ready for that.”

Barton also revealed that the show producers were concerned about the eight-year age gap between herself and McKenzie, who was 25 at the time.

“I remember they were like, ‘Mischa’s disappeared with Ben and like, she’s only 17-and-a-half, 18,”’ she recalled. “The producers went to my parents. It was kind of a whole ordeal.”

McKenzie’s reps did not return Decider’s request for comment in time for publication.

Barton mentioned that she felt like she had “no idea” what she was doing because it was her “first” relationship.

“I was always a really late bloomer in school, and I hadn’t really dated,” she said. “I just had no idea what I was doing really. So, I felt like I needed to catch up.”

The actress added that their breakup further complicated matters and made things “tricky” on set, leaving her feeling “overwhelmed and not ready for any of that.”

“I think that kind of set things off on the wrong foot too because it was like people hook up on these shows and, whatever, and these things happen, but we threw ourselves all into it very fast,” she said.

Barton has been open about the difficult time she had as a young star on the show, revealing in previous interviews that was allegedly bullied by “some of the men on set” and “felt very unprotected.”

She suddenly left the series in Season 3 with a shocking exit, but she said her brief time on the show often felt more like “seven years.”