Mischa Barton spotted on Australian set of soap opera Neighbours

Mischa Barton has arrived in Australia to star in the rebooted soap opera Neighbours.

Busy on set on Tuesday, the American actress was spotted in costume as her new character Reece as she made her way through Melbourne’s Nunnawading film studios.

The 37-year-old, who recently sported bleached locks, looked comfortable in a long black puffer jacket.

Underneath, she wore a black wrap dress over a white shirt and matched the look with black tights.

Mischa added to the ensemble with a pair of black sheepskin Ugg boots as she shielded herself from the cold.

The OC actress had previously arrived in a black T-shirt and striped trousers with black leather boots.

She wore designer sunglasses and carried a large black leather shoulder bag.

Mischa opted for a clean make-up look with a matte pink lipstick and wore her bleached locks in waves.

She recently revealed she underwent a dramatic hair transformation before heading to Australia to film Amazon Freevee’s Neighbors revival.

The OC star, who was previously a brunette, debuted with a head of bright blonde hair in an Instagram selfie on Thursday.

What an amazing transformation. Australia here I come,” she captioned the post.

The post featured two contrasting photos of the actress — the first showing off her brunette hair and the second showing off her freshly dyed blonde locks.

Fans of the star couldn’t believe their eyes and flooded the comments with praise and admiration for Mischa’s bold new look.

‘So beautiful!’ wrote actress Melinda Clarke, who also appeared on The OC

‘Next stop Ramsay St, Melbourne!’ wrote another.

‘It looks great on you. Have fun in Australia,” said a third.

“ALWAYS ICONIC iconic to Marissa and just being you!” remarked another.

With her dramatic hair transformation turning heads, fans can’t wait to see how her character shakes things up in the long-running series.

Mischa’s role as Reece in the Amazon reboot will shake up Ramsay Street as her character’s identity is “not what it seems.”

The former Hollywood socialite’s appearance is intended to appeal to American viewers, as Neighbours, set in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, is shown in the US on Amazon Freevee.

“I’m excited to be part of the next chapter of this iconic show, and I’m really looking forward to being back in Australia – a place I know and love!” Barton said in a statement.

“I think Reece’s character will be a great role for me to explore and play with,” she added.

Neighbors executive producer Jason Herbison said, “As Neighbors launches on Amazon Freevee in North America, we are beyond excited to have an actor of Mischa’s caliber join us for the start of this exciting new chapter.

‘Mischa’s character is dynamic and unpredictable and will be an instant presence in Ramsay Street. Our loyal viewers will love her, at home and abroad.’

Barton began her career as a child actress in Hollywood films such as The Sixth Sense and Notting Hill, both of which were released in 1999.

However, she became a bona fide superstar when she was cast as the troubled teen Marissa on the hit TV series The OC which ran from 2003 to 2007.

Her career foundered after she quit The O.C. at the end of the third season, and Barton publicly struggled with life in the spotlight.

Cameras started rolling for Amazon’s revived Neighbors on Monday, and the series should return to screens by the end of this year.

The sequel of the long-running soap opera follows the million-watched finale in 2022.