Many young women were influenced to follow in Mischa Barton’s footsteps after she became famous for her role in the television series The O.C. Her delicate, elf-like figure in 2006 was a perfect fit for the time’s ideal of beauty. While some media outlets mockingly implied that she was anorexic, others proposed that her thin body was the result of bulimia.

In some of the photographs she looked frail, but her youthful glow seemed to compensate. Her ascent to fame was not without its challenges, though. Mischa freely acknowledged that she struggled with alcohol abuse and occasionally acted impulsively. Despite these difficulties, she maturely handled her errors, never trying to defend them but instead seeing them as important teaching moments.

Admitting one’s shortcomings is a commendable thing, but making a documentary out of them is an even bigger accomplishment. Mischa Barton is currently working on a docuseries that will chronicle her life, including her triumphs and failures.

While the public gives unsolicited advice on how Mischa “should” regain her former physique, the paparazzi keep taking negative pictures of her, highlighting her fuller figure and disheveled attire, including baggy shorts and old t-shirts.

On closer examination, it appears that her formerly extremely trim figure may have resulted from more than just her healthy lifestyle choices. An eating disorder might have been a major factor, possibly connected to depression. This may also help to explain some of her self-destructive actions that earned her the reputation of a troublemaker.

The drama was heightened by her public scandal involving her estrangement from her mother and her stay in a mental health facility. Mischa has never forgiven her mother, who had also served as her manager, for abusing her daughter’s celebrity.

Due to her weight gain, the actress’s face now has softer contours and a fuller figure, making it harder to identify the breathtaking beauty who used to steal the show at red carpet events.

Her acting career is far from over, even though it may appear to have slowed. Given the lengthy history of forgotten stars making a comeback in Hollywood, Mischa’s biggest role might still be in store. She may even make a cameo herself because she intends to make a documentary about her life.