Mischa Barton says she felt 'pressured' to lose virginity while portraying Marissa Cooper on 'The O.C.'

Mischa Barton is opening up about the trauma she suffered for being “sexualized” in the past as a young actress in Hollywood.

She begins the essay highlighting that while she's "thankful" for the acting opportunities that have come her way, it was quarantining over the last year amid the coronavirus pandemic that allowed her to reflect and finally speak up about issues she once avoided. "The truth is that sexuality has always been a component of my career. Even from a young age, I was sexualised. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being an actress and my work on stage. I felt very grown-up, proud of my work and really committed myself to it, but I was still just a child," Barton wrote.