From "The O.C." To "Neighbours" – Mischa Barton Confirms Or Denies Nine Rumours About Her Career

"Woah, I've never heard that one, that would be trippy."

The much-talked about Neighbours reboot drops today on Amazon Freevee, and stars one face you might not have expected to see on Ramsay Street.

NBC

The continuation of the long-running soap series follows the finale in 2022, and sees the return of many familiar faces including Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson), Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy), Ryan Moloney (Toadfish Rebecchi), Ian Smith (Harold Bishop), and Jackie Woodburne (Susan Kennedy).

Mischa Barton joins the iconic Ozzy soap as Reece Sinclair, a new American arrival with a dark secret who catches the attention of Byron (Xavier Molyneux).

Ray Messner/Amazon Freevee

We caught up with Mischa to find out more about her joining Neighbours, and to play a little game we like to call Confirm or Deny. (Basically, we ask an actor about a load of internet rumours we've found regarding their biggest projects and they confirm or deny them!) Here's what she had to say...

Sam Cleal/BuzzFeed

First things first, we have to know, why Neighbours? How did that come about and what drew you to the project?

Mischa: Well, this new series is very different, it's not the long-running Neighbours that was on for 40 years. Honestly, they've approached me in the past, but now that the series is rebooting, it just felt like the right time. I liked the role of Reece Sinclair when I read it; it felt like something I could sink my teeth into and play. It was just a nice opportunity to go and do this arc for the couple of months that I was out there in Australia. They were very nice to me!

Awesome! Can you tell us a little bit about your character Reece?

Mischa: Well, she comes from the wealthy Sinclair family and is supposedly in Australia as a representative for her father's businesses. However, you soon find out she also has an ulterior motive for being there. She's the eldest child, a hard worker, but she's distracted easily, especially by love. She soon meets somebody when she gets to Ramsay Street that sort of takes her for a ride for a minute.

Sounds intriguing, can't wait to find out more! So, shall we play a little game of Confirm or Deny?

Mischa: Sure, let's do it!

The Sixth Sense

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Confirm or deny – you didn't know the film was a horror during shooting, it was only afterwards you realised the true nature of the movie.

Mischa: Confirm, I guess, that's sort of true. I was so young when we shot that, and Haley was, too. It was never supposed to be a like, 'let's terrify these kids during filming' situation! There were obvious parts we filmed where it was clear they were going for the jump scare – like when the bodies are hanging from the ceiling – but it felt much lighter during the making of the movie.

I do remember the first time I saw it I did think it was terrifying. Like, when we went into ADR, I had my mum and my little sister with me and seeing it edited with the music and sound effects and stuff – my little sister lost it! She had to be taken out of the room. I was shocked too, and I had no idea it was going to be that scary.

Confirm or deny – the vomit in the death scene was breakfast cereal.

Mischa: True, and I got to help make it! It was like banana and oatmeal and stuff.

Confirm or deny – the set was haunted.

Mischa: That is also pretty true. It was filmed in a place that's apparently been knocked down since. It was like a big Philadelphia auditorium, this huge, scary, empty place that very much felt haunted. Inside they could create all of these different sets, which meant that they could, like, refrigerate them. It was a creepy place!

Notting Hill

Universal Pictures

Confirm or deny – filming at The Ritz scenes occurred between 2 and 4 in the morning so as not to disturb guests, therefore you got to stay there after your scenes were done.

Mischa: If memory serves me right, no. I remember hanging out with Hugh Grant in the hallways of The Ritz, and also remember thinking it was such a cool location, but no, we weren't staying there.

The O.C.

Fox

Confirm or deny – you hated the show's theme song.

Mischa: No, that's not true at all. I mean, it was well overplayed, but that wasn't true at the time. I was friendly with Phantom Planet, and I do think they started to resent the popularity of the song. So kind of the other way around if anything!

Confirm or deny – Olivia Wilde was supposed to be Marissa, but producers felt you were better suited to the role.

Mischa: I definitely think she was in contention for the role of Marissa, but I don't know how far along she got. I'm pretty sure she auditioned for the role quite heavily.

Confirm or deny – at one point, writers considered pairing up Seth and Marissa and Ryan and Anna.

Mischa: Woah, I've never heard that one, that would be trippy.

Schitt's Creek

CBC/Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / Via Getty Images

Confirm or deny – you auditioned for the role of Alexis Rose.

Mischa: No! I wish.

People on Twitter seem to think you did, and to be honest, I could kind of see it!

Mischa: That's so funny. I mean, I don't remember doing it, you do audition for things and forget, but I don't think so. I don't audition on the regular now, but sometimes I'll be watching something and I'll think, 'I know these lines, I know these words' and I'll realise I auditioned for it. That happens quite frequently.

Neighbours

Ray Messner/Amazon Freevee

Confirm or deny – you joined the cast of Neighbours because you wanted to live and work in Australia... Because, we get it!

Mischa: I can neither confirm nor deny that one! No, I do really like Australia and I loved being there; it's a beautiful part of the world and I have quite good friends over there. But no, that's not exactly true!

The revitalised Neighbours premieres today exclusively on Amazon Freevee in the UK and US. Check out the trailer here:

youtube.com

The series will also stream on Prime Video in Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Previous seasons of Neighbours, as well as many iconic episodes, are currently available to stream on Amazon Freevee.

Additional thumbnail credit: Jon Kopaloff/WireImage/Getty Images