Hollywood and The OC Star Mischa Barton to Join Relaunched Neighbors

Hollywood and The OC actress Mischa Barton will join Australian opera serial Neighbors, which will return to screens later this year.

According to the show’s producers, Barton will play Reece, an American “who is not exactly who she appears to be.”

Amazon is relaunching Neighbors after the series concludes its 37 years of broadcast on television in 2022.

Variety magazine reported that filming resumed in Melbourne on April 17.

“I’m delighted to be part of the next chapter of this iconic show and can’t wait to return to Australia, a place I know and love!” Barton stated in a statement.

“Mischa’s character is dynamic and unpredictable and will have an instant presence,” said executive producer Jason Herbison.

Locally and internationally, our devoted audience will love her.

Barton, who was born in the United Kingdom, is best known for her portrayal of Marissa Cooper in the 2003-2006 teen drama The OC. She has also appeared in several Hollywood films, including The Sixth Sense and Notting Hill.

Following Channel 5’s announcement that it could no longer fund production, Neighbors came to a long-awaited finale last year.

Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce and Jason Donovan, among others, returned in the “final episode” after making early appearances on the show.

Pearce later wryly commented that its return was “a painful reminder that the things we love can be taken away, never to return…unless Amazon saves the day and makes our end look like a rather costly exercise.”

Rebekah Elmaloglou (Terese Willis), Tim Kano (Leo Tanaka), Georgie Stone (Mackenzie Hargreaves) and Annie Jones (Jane Harris) will reprise their roles as series regulars, while veterans Ian Smith (Harold Bishop), Melissa Bell (Lucy Robinson) and April Rose Pengilly (Chloe Brennan) will return as guests.

The new Neighbors will air on Amazon’s Freevee service in the US and UK, as well as Channel 10 and Prime Video in Australia.