In 2003, Mischa Barton landed the role of Marissa Cooper on "The O.C." and suddenly she was the name in young Hollywood, but by 2007 she had been arrested for a DUI and in 2009 she was placed under a 5150 involuntary pyschiatric hold at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after she threatened to harm herself.
Today, she's speaking out about her breakdown and Hollywood nightmare in a People magazine cover story.
"It was a full-on breakdown. I was under enormous pressure," she told the magazine, speaking openly about the events in detail for the first time. Previously, the actress blamed her hospitalization on a "terrible" wisdom tooth surgery, telling Time Out New York in 2009, "I went through a tough spot where everything compounded on me, and it was like a perfect storm, like everything was happening to me at once."
Since the incident, Barton has been forced to slow down and focus on her health, which has meant putting on some weight -- something she says hasn't gone unnoticed by critics. When she first rose to fame she says, "It was always, 'She's too skinny, she must be sick,'" says Barton, now 27. "Then it was, 'She's too big.' I was never the right weight."
Barton says she's "learned a lot" from her experiences, and is proud she's finally speaking out about her struggles, telling People, "I'm stronger now."
Strong enough that she's giving her career another shot. Barton has roles in the thrillers "I Will Follow You Into The Dark," and "Apartment 1303," and also filmed a TV pilot titled "The Gutsy Frog," in addition to a slew of other projects, according to her IMDB page.
For more on Mischa Barton's breakdown, pick up a copy of People on sale Oct. 18.
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