Mischa Barton, the former star of The O.C., has finally confirmed the long-standing rumors that she dated her co-star Ben McKenzie. The teen drama, which aired from 2003 to 2007, revolved around the lives of teenagers in Orange County, California, with Mischa playing the character of Marissa Cooper and Ben portraying the troubled teenager Ryan Atwood.

Now, 18 years after the show ended, Mischa, aged 38, has disclosed that she and Ben, aged 45, were indeed in a relationship when the cameras first started rolling. Despite previous denials, Mischa revealed the truth during a recent episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast.

She admitted that it was her first relationship and that she had no idea what she was doing at the time. The rapid progression of their relationship had overwhelmed her, and she felt unprepared for the intensity of it all. Mischa also shared that the producers were concerned about the significant age gap between her and Ben, as she was only 17-and-a-half, and Ben was more than seven years older than her.

When asked if she lost her virginity while filming the show, Mischa confessed that she was inexperienced in relationships and sex, indicating that it was a learning curve for her. She eventually ended the relationship, realizing that she was not mature enough for such a commitment at that stage in her life.