Celebrity News

Rachel Bilson was asked to join ‘The Hills’ reboot before Mischa Barton

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Social Links for Tiffany Garcia
Published Aug. 6, 2021, 3:35 p.m. ET

Mischa Barton almost lost out on joining the cast of “The Hills: New Beginnings” to her former “The O.C.” co-star Rachel Bilson.

“I was actually asked to be on ‘The Hills.’ … I graciously passed,” Bilson, 39, revealed to fellow “O.C.” alum Melinda Clarke on Tuesday’s episode of their “Welcome to the OC, Bitches!” podcast. “And then, who they wound up casting was Mischa.”

Bilson confessed that she didn’t know any of the “Hills” cast members when she was offered a spot on the MTV reboot, so she may not have fit in too easily.

“I’ve met Lauren Conrad before, but she’s not even on that show [‘New Beginnings’]. … I like Lauren a lot,” she said. “I know her a little, tiny bit, and she’s cool. But I don’t know anyone from ‘The Hills,’ no.”

Page Six exclusively reported in October 2018 that Barton, now 35, was joining the debut season of “The Hills: New Beginnings” alongside Brody Jenner, Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, Audrina Patridge and Justin Brescia.

Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson.
Barton and Bilson starred on “The O.C.” together during the early 2000s. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image

All seemed well for Barton at first as she settled in with her co-stars. However, it was reported in March 2020 that she would be replaced by Caroline D’Amore since viewers saw her as “too boring.”

Barton later took a dig at Pizza Girl founder D’Amore, 37, on Instagram, writing, “As if anyone would watch @carolinedamore try to hoc [sic] her boring ass pasta bowls and greasy pizza on tv. Tried that it was like watching paint dry.”

Season 2 of the reboot began airing in May with the original cast — minus Barton and Pratt’s sister, Stephanie Pratt.

While Bilson passed on the reality TV opportunity, her podcast co-host, Clarke, 52, revealed that she was previously approached about joining Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County.”

“A few years back, probably three or four years ago, I don’t know, I got a call from my agent saying that they’re interested,” Clarke said in Tuesday’s episode. “I don’t know if it was a straight-up offer. … First of all, I don’t live in Orange County. Second of all, I don’t have the armor to put myself out there and do what’s required.”