‘The OC’ star says she was glad to be kicked off ‘DWTS’ — and her reason is brutal: ‘It was all a...’
Mischa Barton’s brief stint on ‘DWTS’ was far from pleasant. ‘The OC’ star appeared on the dance competition’s 22nd season and lasted for only three episodes with her pro dancer partner, Artem Chigvintsev. A few months after her elimination, Barton revealed that her experience on the show was nothing like she had anticipated. In an interview with The Ringer, she said, “Ugh, I had no idea it would be so bad. I got told off by my dancer,” as later reported by E! News. Barton expected to have control over the costumes as she was allegedly told that she could have a say in the “design aspect” of it.
She revealed that the condition was one of the major reasons behind her decision to sign the show. “That didn't happen. It wasn't collaborative like a choreographer on a film set,” she added. ABC’s beloved dance competition is renowned for being cut-throat and challenging, something Barton wasn’t prepared for. “It was like The Hunger Games. It was all a popularity contest. It was awful. I was so glad to get kicked off,” she added. The British-American actress’s disappointment was evident during her brief appearance, and viewers sensed tension between her and her pro dancer partner.
After her elimination, Barton spoke to E! News about her experience. “It had been a really intense first few weeks,” she said at the time. Although Chigvintsev didn’t address the rumored beef between him and Barton, he told the outlet that they had a “rough” start. However, he ultimately felt that they did their “best” and that’s what mattered. As for ‘The Sixth Sense’ actress, she developed a fondness for social media since her exit from ‘DWTS.’ Speaking to the outlet, she recalled the times when public figures didn’t have a voice in the media. “They could make up stories and say whatever they wanted,” she said.
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Barton enjoys the fact that social media allows people to have an insight into people’s lives who once seemed unattainable. “People can see what you're really like,” she added. She’s admittedly not a fan of platforms like Twitter but enjoys the artistic aspect of Instagram. “You can see through that person's eye, what they creatively choose, what they're up to, and who they are,” she said. Barton further admitted that she enjoys being on social media. The actress received harsh feedback from the judges while on the show and is often considered one of the worst contestants of the show’s history.
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“Mischa Barton is honestly one of the worst contestants,” one Reddit user wrote. The user further added that her aura and attitude were “nothing but negative.” Another fan recalled Barton’s disappointment when she wasn’t the first contestant to be eliminated. “I’ll never forget she ‘liked’ a ton of Artem’s thirst trap pics very early on in the season - then unliked,” another internet user added. ‘DWTS’ is gearing up for season 34, which is confirmed to feature wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and social media influencer Alix Earle. The highly anticipated season is expected to premiere sometime in the fall of 2025.