Mischa Barton is opening up about the trauma she suffered for being « sexualized » in the past as a young actress in Hollywood.
The « Hills » alum , 35, …
Mischa Barton is opening up about the trauma she suffered for being « sexualized » in the past as a young actress in Hollywood. The « Hills » alum,35, penned a lengthy essay published Friday in the U.K.’s Harper’s Bazaar in which she discussed the importance of the Me Too movement and the scrutiny she faced playing « mature » characters onscreen. 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. She noted that her early roles in « Lawn Dogs » and « Pups » exposed her to « very mature » characters. « Lead roles in coming-of-age films are always directly tied to sex and sexuality, and this was a prime example, » she said of her role in « Pups, » which also starred Burt Reynolds. Barton recalled her character getting her period for the first time despite not experiencing it herself in her own life yet.
