The creators behind TV series The O.C. have said they “regret” killing off fan-favourite character Marissa, played by Mischa Barton.
At the end of the show’s third season, Marissa dies in the arms of her boyfriend Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) after being involved in a car accident.
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Speaking to Vanity Fair for the show’s 20th anniversary, show creator Josh Schwartz and executive producer Stephanie Savage reflected on the decision to kill off the character.
“It’s something that we regret, and looking back on it, we wish we could have come up with a different solution,” Schwartz said. “We didn’t see an alternative path at the time, which is why we went down that road.
“But obviously in hindsight, there were lots of other ways we could have written the character off the show – and given Mischa the break that she needed and wanted – that still would’ve allowed for that character to return.”
Schwartz said the negative fan reaction to her death “did not feel good”, adding: “It did not feel like that audience had been served or respected in the way that we always wanted and aimed to. Immediately, we had regret at that point.”
In an interview with E! News in 2021, Barton claimed “bullying” on set was the reason she wanted to leave the show.
“There were people on that set that were very mean to me,” Barton said. “It wasn’t, like, the most ideal environment for a young, sensitive girl who’s also been thrust into stardom to have to put up with.”
In response, Barton’s The O.C. co-stars Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke said they were “perplexed” by her claims.
The O.C. came to an end after four seasons in 2007, with Marissa’s death contributing to a sharp decline in viewership.
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