The O.C. sequence creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage admit that considered one of their largest “regrets” from the sequence is killing off Mischa Barton’s character, Marissa Cooper, through the season 3 finale.
Savage, 54, revealed that the choice got here as a result of they had been underneath “large strain” to create “drama.”
“Killing a sequence common got here down from the highest,” she recalled throughout an interview with Vainness Honest printed on Monday, August 14. “If we wished a season 4, we’d must do one thing like that.”
Savage and Schwartz, 47, collaborated on the forthcoming ebook Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral Historical past — set to be launched on November 28 — the place they “fairly bluntly” focus on the subject of Marissa’s demise. In a now-iconic scene, followers watched as Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) carried Marissa away from a fiery automobile wreck as she died in his arms.
“It’s one thing that we remorse, and looking out again on it, we want we may have give you a special answer,” Schwartz added. “We didn’t see another path on the time, which is why we went down that highway.”
Wanting again, they defined that there have been “different methods” that they might have written Marissa out and “nonetheless would’ve allowed for that character to return” down the highway. Nevertheless, the character’s demise was her ultimate goodbye.
Chris Carmack and Mischa Barton in ‘The OC’, 2003. Warner Bros Television/Kobal/Shutterstock
Schwartz in contrast Marissa’s demise to a different stunning second from The O.C., noting their variations.
“When Marissa shot Trey (Logan Marshall-Inexperienced), everybody was very upset in a method that was enjoyable to expertise. … In the end it was the response you wished to get out of the viewers,” he recalled. “Once we noticed the response after Marissa died from that viewers, it didn’t really feel good. It didn’t really feel like that viewers had been served or revered in the way in which that we all the time wished and aimed to. Instantly, we had remorse at that time.”
Beforehand, Barton, 37, revealed that she had “fought tooth and nail” for Marissa to die, telling The New York Instances in Could 2019 that she didn’t suppose that “crusing off into the sundown’s the right goodbye” for the character.
Earlier this yr, Barton appeared on the “Welcome to the O.C., Bitches” podcast alongside former costars Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke, the place they watched Marissa’s demise scene for the primary time.
“Poor Marissa. She actually, actually goes via it,” Barton shared on the time, watching as Bilson wiped away tears. “Oh no, I’m getting actually unhappy too.”
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The O.C. aired on FOX for 4 seasons, from 2004 to 2007.
