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.

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.

Jan 19, 2025 · After being a mainstay on The OC for three full seasons, Mischa Barton's Marissa Cooper left the series in 2006. Her exit came as a part of the Season 3 finale ("The Graduates").

May 18, 2021 · Fans of The O.C. were shocked when Mischa Barton's character Marissa Cooper died tragically in season 3. Here are the reasons behind Barton's exit.

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 …

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.

Jul 4, 2023 · Marissa dies in the season 3 finale just when she's set to stay a year away with her father in Greece. That led to Ryan finding the new love interest, Taylor Townsend, in season 4, a writing decision that ultimately ruined what made The O.C. so great and destroyed Ryan's character, as he questionably moved on from Marissa so quickly.

Why did Marissa leave The O.C.? Creator Josh Schwartz and Executive Producer Stephanie Savage recently addressed Marissa’s death in the Season 3 finale in an interview with Vanity Fair.

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. …

Aug 15, 2023 · Marissa's death in The OC was controversial because she played an integral role in the series as Ryan's love interest. The decision to kill her off stemmed from Mischa Barton's desire to leave the show, effectively ending any chance of her returning.