The OC star Rachel Bilson has revealed her surprise following her co-star Mischa Barton's comments concerning her time on the show, where she revealed that she quit due to "general bullying" and the "last minute" addition of Rachel to the cast as fan favourite, Summer Roberts.
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Speaking on her Welcome to the OC, B****** podcast alongside another co-star, Melinda Clarke, Rachel said: "In one of her first comments she said that I was added last minute after the first season, which is actually completely false and not what happened.
WATCH: Rachel Bilson played Summer Roberts in The OC
"I was like, 'Well, that's misinformation. Where is she going with this and what is she trying to say?' I would actually like to talk to her and find out what her experience was from her perspective. I saw things a little differently, I guess." Speaking about the bullying claims, she added: "I don't know who she's referring to. I didn't personally witness any of that, so I don't know who she's referring to or what, because I didn't see it myself."
Melinda, who played Mischa's character Marissa's mother Julie Cooper on the show, added: "I cannot speak for somebody else's experience... someone who's 16, 17, 18, that amount of hours of work and pressure, at such a young age... At best, you're exhausted and at worst, it's overwhelming and chaotic.
The pair played Summer and Marissa on the hit show
"It kind of breaks my heart a little to know. We knew there was a lot of pressure on her but if it was really that bad of an experience, that's not right for any young person. Rachel and I both think it's important, if she wants to come and talk to us and share her story, we would love to explore that."
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Previously speaking to E! News, Mischa said: "There were people on that set that were very mean to me. It wasn’t, like, the most ideal environment for a young, sensitive girl who’s also been thrust into stardom to have to put up with."
She added that it also "had a lot to do with them adding Rachel [Bilson] in last minute as, after the first season, a series regular and evening out everybody’s pay – and sort of general bullying from some of the men on set that kind of felt really [expletive]".
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