Marissa Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was among the original "core four" characters on The O.C. She is a privileged California native born into a wealthy family, residing next to the Cohen family's house.

Marissa Cooper is a main protagonist throughout the first, second, and third seasons of the Fox drama series The O.C.. She is portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was part of the Core Four, she dated Ryan Atwood-Cohen on and off throughout the series and had been best friends with Summer Roberts since childhood.

Jan 19, 2025 · In epic OC fashion, Marissa slowly dies in Ryan's arms, cutting back and forth between moments from the show's premiere and the bloody Season 3 finale as Imogen Heap's "Hallelujah" plays in the background.

Jan 19, 2025 · The OC debuted in 2003 and ran until its fourth season in 2007, but fans didn't get to see one of their favorites, Marissa, due to her unfortunate fate. As seen in The OC Season 3 finale, Ryan and Marissa's car crashed with Kevin's, resulting in Marissa's death.

Aug 15, 2023 · Fans will remember that Marissa perished in the Season 3 finale after Kevin Volchok drove Ryan’s car — in which Barton’s character was a passenger — off the road. Though Ryan wasn’t badly...

Mischa Barton played Marissa Cooper in The O.C. from 2003 to 2006. Cooper, a privileged California native born into a wealthy family, was one of the four original characters on The O.C. She...

Nov 15, 2023 · Mischa Barton, Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, Rachel Bilson, and more ‘O.C.’ insiders explain exactly how and why Marissa Cooper died—and why they wish it had never happened.

May 19, 2021 · Mischa Barton, who played Marissa Cooper on the teen drama "The O.C." for three seasons, reveals the on-set problems that led to her character's death.

Aug 16, 2023 · Twenty years after teen soap The O.C. made its much-discussed debut on Fox in 2003, creator Josh Schwartz and producer Stephanie Savage have revealed the primary reason behind the shock death of popular character Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) at the end of the third season — the network bigs wanted ratings.

Viewers are curious to know why Marissa Cooper, portrayed by Mischa Barton, left the Fox drama series, The O.C. Introduced in Season 1, Marissa was a key character who was rebellious,...