Mischa Barton's new role echoes own dramas

Mischa Barton's new role won't be toned down because of her personal problems.

The actress – who was recently sectioned for psychiatric treatment and has worried friends with her wild partying – plays a model called Sonja Stone in The Beautiful Life and producers say she is "embracing" storylines that echo her own troubles.

Executive producer Mike Kelley told website E! Online: "I had that conversation with Mischa, and those stories were going to be told with or without Mischa being the actress in that role, so I just said I didn't want to be insensitive with what was happening with her. But at the same time I didn't want to not tell interesting and dramatic stories, and she was game."

Executive producer Karey Burke added: "There are things that we had planned on doing with Sonya's character that we did not shy away from at all.

"It's dealing with a character that is living her life in the spotlight, being hounded by the paparazzi, who is at a massive turning point in her career, where it's sort of make-or-break time, and there are things thematically where it's exactly what's going on with Mischa's life, and she's embracing all of them.

"Mischa's character ends up sort of taking a page from the whole Kate Moss situation and kind of using it to her advantage."

Show bosses say they are "delighted" that Mischa – who was reportedly told to lose 10lbs for the role – is putting her personal problems behind her because she is "integral" to the series.

Mike added: "She had a rough go of it for a bit there. She's a kid. She's 23-years-old, and she's growing. Things are behind her that were negative, and she's really focused on the positive. She looks great, and her acting is terrific. She's very positive and excited, and so are we. Her character is integral to all the stories, so her character is not going anywhere and neither is Mischa."

Meanwhile, the producers admitted they are also looking for ways to link the show with fellow New York drama Gossip Girl.

Mike added: "My idea - since these things happen – is that there will be a blackout. The idea is that we have two shows that exist in the same city, and if our cast is on the subway, and their cast is on the subway, and then the subway shuts down..."

- BANG! SHOWBIZ