Mischa Barton MIA at TCA panel for The CW's 'The Beautiful Life'

Writers waited in droves at The Summer 2009 Television Critics Association Press Tour at the session for upcoming CW drama The Beautiful Life, wondering if troubled star Mischa Barton would appear. Barton was recently on the gossip sheets after being escorted to a Los Angeles hospital for an undisclosed medical problem on July 15. "Mischa's in New York working today on the show," claimed Ashton Kutcher, one of the creators of the series. "She was never unavailable for a day of work." But wouldn't Mischa's recent hospital stay have temporarily impacted her participation? "The wonderful thing about having Mischa in the cast is that she's done it before" added Kutcher. "She was one of the leads in The O.C., so her sort of navigation and guidance for the rest of the cast, I think, is essential for us as a unit." If Barton the "dramatic actress" is essential for The Beautiful Life, trouble could be brewing already.

—Posted by Marc Berman