Mischa Barton - Sonja (The Beautiful Life)#1: Welcome to the dark side of fashion (Contains Spoilers)

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 04:20 AM

Mischa Barton joins CW's 'Beautiful Life'

“The O.C.” alumna Mischa Barton has been tapped to star in CW’s drama pilot “A Beautiful Life.”

The project, from CBS Par, revolves around a group of models living together in a co-ed residence in New York.

Barton will play Sonja, a supermodel and veteran of the high-fashion circuit who is struggling to keep on top and is in danger of slipping.

Barton can bring personal experience to the role as she has modeled for such companies as Calvin Klein, bebe stores, Aeropostale, Monsoon Accessorize, Dooney & Bourke and JC (Jeans and Clothes).

Barton was originally up for another CW drama pilot, “Melrose Place,” but that casting didn’t materialize.

Best known for her role as Marissa Cooper on “The O.C.,” Barton is repped by Paradigm.
Mischa Barton joins CW's 'Beautiful Life'

Development Update
Ashton Kutcher's CBS Paramount Network Television-based Katalyst Films has lined up a pair of drama projects at the netlet. First up is "The Beautiful Life," which centers on male and female models who live together in New York. Model-turned-writer Adam Giaudrone ("Swingtown") is penning the script, based on his own experiences, and will serve as a supervising producer. Carol Barbee ("Jericho") is also attached to executive produce. It's understood the lead characters will be Christopher, a 22-year-old "destined for the JC Penney catalog," and 15-year-old Reyna, "destined to become the next Heidi Klum," while the project itself will focus on the darker side of the modeling industry.
Breaking News - Development Update: Tuesday, November 25 | TheFutonCritic.com

maalibu · 03-13-2009, 04:31 AM

thank you for the thread

I can't wait until we hear about the rest of the cast. I wonder who they will have as the male model and 15 year old model.

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 04:37 AM

Np. I'm SO FRICKEN EXCITED.

I wanna know who else is in the cast too! I hope it's a relatively well known name.

Also, I made a little teaser video out of the BlackBook shoot lol. Couldn't resist.

maalibu · 03-13-2009, 04:48 AM

good job, Sam

I think Willa Holland did good job on Gossip Girl so I can see her as that 15 year old. And i think they should cast famous guy for the role, no idea who.

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 04:54 AM

Thanks!

Someone like Willa would be good but it would be too much of an OC flashback if they actually hired her, lol.

I wonder how many characters there actually are. The description isn't clear on that at all.

maalibu · 03-13-2009, 04:59 AM

lol, i know but i can't come up with someone else. I hope we will get more information soon. I guess this means Mischa is moving to NYC if its get picked up.

eatyourgreens · 03-13-2009, 04:59 AM

Sam, that trailers is awesome! You seem pretty psyched about this! I am too, since a clearer description came out. The dark side of modeling seems pretty cool.

If they hire Willa, it would have to be as Mischa's sister or they'd have to change her look a little bit. It's scary how much those girls look like sisters. But I like Willa, so I'm game.

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 05:04 AM

Mischa living in NYC would ROCK THE WORLD.

I am pretty psyched Chris. But not specifically cause of this show, just cause having Mischa back on TV is literally a dream come true.

And I think having it fashion orientated will do WONDERS in terms of her getting more endorsements, more covers, more push in the way of her handbags and hair accessories collection.

I really LOVE seeing Mischa the brand expand. And I think this is a good opportunity.

And she's got a ton of movies in the pipe line so this will just compliment the releases amazingly well.

ETA:

Not to mention the benefits the show can potentially receive thanks to Mischa. She has unsurpassed relationships with some designers!

And she also hangs out with real life models. One phone call and Jessica Stam is a guest star!

eatyourgreens · 03-13-2009, 05:05 AM

I agree. I'm going to love her on weekly TV!

And the more I hear about this show, from the writers to the premise, the more I like it.

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 05:09 AM

What I find a bit comforting with this is that there must be some real edge to the script. If Mischa wanted just a general teen soap, she could have done that Gossip Girl guest spot. And I bet she would have been offered a permanent position.

But she turned that down. There must be something ELSE here that separates the role.

Mischa did choose Marissa after all. We know Sonja is going to kill.

And even though I haven't loved all the movies she's chosen overall, there hasn't been a single character I haven't liked. Mischa knows characters.

maalibu · 03-13-2009, 05:11 AM

Mischa Barton Cast in New Ashton Kutcher Show

The latest rumor Mischa Barton would like to debunk is she's not appearing on the Melrose Place remake. Instead, the former O.C. star will make her return to the small screen with a role on another CW show, A Beautiful Life, produced by Ashton Kutcher.

"Ashton developed it about his life growing up as a model from Iowa, so it's about the whole fashion world that he was in, and obviously I have a lot of friends in the fashion world, so I'm used to being around a lot of people in that," Barton tells PEOPLE on Thursday night at a GQ magazine-hosted party to celebrate new men's fragrance Burberry the Beat.

And Barton, who recently attended the fashion shows in Paris, promises to put the catty in catwalker. "[I play] a bitchy model-type character, like it's a totally different character for me," says Barton, who starts shooting as Sonia, a successful model who keeps the competition at bay but also advises the younger ones, at the end of the month.

Source: Mischa Barton Cast in New Ashton Kutcher Show - TV News, Ashton Kutcher, Mischa Barton : People.com

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 05:19 AM

There is a massive possibility that Mischa will blitz the media the same way she did when The OC was on. People WANT to write about her. Now they will have reasons.

And worst case scenario: this doesn't get picked up. As fans, we're just back to where we've been for the last few years waiting for movies. But we gain the knowledge that she's looking at TV. And the trash talk about her not working would fizzle away.

There aren't really any downsides here. It's a project with potential. We just have to wait and see if it goes anywhere.

maalibu · 03-13-2009, 05:25 AM

I checked thefutoncritic and CW have 8 pilots right now

Shows A-Z | TheFutonCritic.com - The Web's Best Television Resource

goodbreakingbad · 03-13-2009, 05:27 AM

Great teaser trailer, Sam.

This keeps sounding better and better.

I especially love:

Quote:

"Ashton developed it about his life growing up as a model from Iowa, so it's about the whole fashion world that he was in, and obviously I have a lot of friends in the fashion world, so I'm used to being around a lot of people in that,"

And Barton, who recently attended the fashion shows in Paris, promises to put the catty in catwalker. "[I play] a bitchy model-type character, like it's a totally different character for me," says Barton, who starts shooting as Sonia, a successful model who keeps the competition at bay but also advises the younger ones, at the end of the month.

I figured Ashton was basing it a lot on his own past in the modeling industry. I can already tell Mischa's character is gonna be so layered! Does her character have a love interest, that we know of?

Sam_MC · 03-13-2009, 05:27 AM

They have a lot of potentially good shows in the tank. With a lot of recognizable actors.

Im so BLOODY EXCITED that the character is a bitch, lol. CANT WAIT.


Fan Forum > Female Celebrities > Mischa Barton > Sonja (The Beautiful Life)#1: Welcome to the dark side of fashion (Contains Spoilers)