More of the OC spoiler controversy (Celebrity Secrets)
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Some excerpts of an interview with the creator of the show The OC, Josh Scwartz, after the season finale's ending was spoiled by Mischa Barton on Access Hollywood. Barton spilled the beans about her character's impending death before the show was set to air on May 18.
Q: How did you feel when you heard that Mischa had blown the big twist?
A: It was unfortunate.
Q: What the hell happened?
A: I don't really know what happened. It was definitely unfortunate, and I don't think Access Hollywood really handled it that well either.
Q: Did you call Mischa?
A: I did not, no. I'm sure publicists were called, but I stayed out of it.
Q: Did you sit down with her beforehand and tell her not to discuss the twist until after the episode aired? Or was that just a given?
A: It's obvious, but it's also always discussed, in terms of the cast. They know that we're trying to keep things under wraps. I don't really know what happened.
Q: The rumor going around is that she had a strained relationship with the show and she blew the surprise intentionally.
A: We didn't have a strained relationship. Mischa's never exhibited any kind of vindictive behavior before, so it would seem out of character. But I don't really know.
Q: So, why did you kill her off?
A: This was always going to be a season of great upheaval and change, and at the end of the year, with graduation and people moving out into different directions, we always knew that the show was never going to be the same. And if you go back to the pilot episode of the show, tragedy is in the DNA of Marissa's character... So as we looked down the barrel at the end of the season, it just felt like that's where the show was pushing us.
Q: So this was a creative decision and not a result of Mischa's asking to go?
A: No, she never said that. She was always 100 percent professional and ready to go and ready to work for the show and support the show. She was never misbehaving or "sicking out" or any of those kinds of rumors that were out there.
Q: What was her reaction when she learned what you were doing?
A: She took it in stride. She handled it professionally and continued to do great work. However she felt about it personally, she was never anything but a professional when she was on set.
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