Mischa Barton 'was bullied at school'

Mischa Barton has revealed that she was bullied at school after she moved to the US from the UK as a child.

She told Bang Showbiz that she struggled to fit in at school as she was different to the other children.

The O.C. star said: "I think that's why I grew up so fast and have always been a bit of an outsider. I was in public school in New York where all the kids were in black jeans and Nike sneakers and I was wearing little stockings and Mary-Janes and perpetually getting my ass kicked in my bottle glasses."

Barton added that she strived to become more popular at school, saying: "I still am insecure but young Mischa was terribly insecure. The kids around me at school had realised I was an actress and I started getting teased.

"I wasn't popular so it was easy to integrate me in and out without kids asking too many questions, but then The Sixth Sense came out. I would have liked to have been popular. I would have liked to have not been on the periphery so much."