Mischa Anne Barton was born on January 24, 1986, in Hammersmith, London, England, to Nuala Quinn-Barton, an Irish photographer, and Paul Marsden Barton, an English foreign exchange broker. She has two sisters, Hania and Zoe. When she was five years old, her family moved to New York City.
Barton began her acting career at the age of nine, appearing in Off-Broadway productions. She made her film debut in 1997 with an uncredited role in “Lawn Dogs.” She also appeared in several television commercials and guest-starred on television series.
Barton achieved mainstream recognition for her role as Marissa Cooper in the Fox television series “The O.C.” from 2003 to 2006. This role significantly boosted her career and made her a teen idol.
While working on “The O.C.,” Barton also appeared in several films. Some of her notable film credits include: