Mischa Barton has been spotted on the set of Neighbors for the first time since she was announced to be joining the cast.
The British-born American actress, 37, was spotted arriving at Nunawading film studios in Melbourne on Wednesday as she prepped for her new role in the rebooted show.
The OC star made a stealthy arrival dressed in a pair of stylish shades and a brown suede jacket as she jumped out of a car.
The former Hollywood socialite plays Reece, an American woman who has just arrived on Ramsay Street but whose identity is “not what it seems.”
Her character is designed to appeal to American viewers, as Neighbours, set in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, will be shown in the US on the ad-supported streaming platform Amazon Freevee.
Mischa Barton has been spotted on the set of Neighbors for the first time since she was announced to join the cast
“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.
The British-born American actress, 37, was spotted arriving at Nunawading film studios in Melbourne on Wednesday as she prepped for her new role in the reboot
The OC star made a stealthy arrival dressed in a pair of stylish shades and a tan suede jacket as she jumped out of a car
‘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.’
Neighbors fans from Australia and the UK have largely welcomed the casting, but some have found the decision baffling.
‘OMG! I certainly didn’t have Mischa Barton on Neighbors on my bingo card for 2023!’ a viewer tweeted after the announcement.
“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
Neighbors fans from Australia and the UK have largely welcomed the casting, but some have found the decision baffling. Pictured: Cast and crew on set on Wednesday
The photo shows Alan Fletcher, who plays Karl Kennedy in the hit soap opera, and Stefan Dennis, who plays businessman Paul Robinson
“Micha Barton on Neighbours… WTF,” wrote another.
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.
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.
Barton’s troubles came to a head in 2017 when footage surfaced of her screaming about her mother and the end of the world in her LA backyard.
She’s in a better place now, scoring a role in the first season of The Hills: New Beginnings, which has since been canceled by MTV.
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.
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. Pictured with the cast in 2003