MISCHA BARTON (Mouse)

Mischa Barton plays Mouse in Lost and Delirious.

Mouse is a shy, timid new girl who is assigned to share the room already occupied by Paulie and Tory. She adds a very interesting dimension to the structure of the film because the story is foremost about the relationship between Paulie and Tory, but is told through Mouse’s point of view.

“Mouse is caught in a state of indecision,” Barton explains about her character. “She doesn’t know whose side she wants to take, and she doesn’t want to have to take a side.”

For Piper Perabo (playing Paulie in Lost and Delirious) it has been helpful having fellow New Yorker Barton on set in Quebec to help alleviate the homesickness. Of her acting, Perabo says, “Mischa is very innocent and expressive, so it’s always heartbreaking to do scenes with her because it’s so amazing what comes out of her eyes.”

The film marks Barton’s second trip to Sundance. She previously received accolades for her roles opposite Sam Rockwell in Lawn Dogs.

Despite her youth, her resume of film work is already impressive. Additional credits include the Academy Award nominated film The Sixth Sense, Pups for filmmaker Ash, Tart with Melanie Griffith, Skipped Parts opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paranoid with Jessica Alba, Notting Hill and yet another Sundance project, Julie Johnson.

Barton is also a seasoned stage performer. In New York theatre, she has appeared at the famed Lincoln Centre in Twelve Dreams. Other plays include One Flea Spare, Where the Truth Lies, and Slavs!

No stranger to television, Barton has been seen on the daytime drama All my Children, Saturday Night Live, and in the title role of Frankie alongside Joan Plowright in the Showtime feature Frankie and Hazel for producer Barbara Streisand’s Barwood Films.

(taken from the Lions Gate Films press kit, 2001)
update from A Tribute to Lost and Delirious, Stef:

Since Lost and Delirious Mischa Barton acted in “Julie Johnson” (2001, playing Lisa Johnson, “Tart” (2001, playing Grace Bailey), “Once and Again" (1999, TV Series playing Katie Singer from 2001 till 2002), “A Ring of Endless Light”, (2002, TV playing Vicky), “Octane” (2003, playing Natasha 'Nat' Wilson) and "The O.C." (2003, TV Series playing Marissa Cooper).

Especially the “Once and Again" series deserves the attention for fans of “Lost and Delirious”. Once and Again is a TV-series about the relationship between two divorcees, Rick Sammler (played by Bill Campbell) and Elizabeth 'Lily' Manning (played by Sela Ward), and their gaggle of children, including Rick Sammler’s teenage daughter Jessie Sammler (played by Evan Rachel Wood). Over the course of the third season of the series the friendship between Jessie Sammler and her older best friend Katie Singer (played by Mischa Barton) turns into something more.

Katie is an extroverted, popular student, who slowly develops a friendship with the more shy and reserved Jessie. Katie is a pretty complex and intriguing character.

In the episode "The Gay/Straight Alliance" Katie Singer writes Jessie Sammler a letter confessing her romantic feelings for her. The letter prompts much angst on both sides as Jessie starts to avoid Katie, until even her gay-friendly stepsister gets frustrated and asks Jessie "Why won't you talk to Katie? Just talk to her. You're lucky you can. You don't even realize how easy you have it. God, just go for it, no one will care!" Support from her stepsister surprises Jessie Sammler, but Jessie still denies the truth since she is not yet ready to face the feelings herself.

After rumours fly around school that Katie shall be gay, Jessie distances herself from her friend, even when she questions her own sexuality. "But then finally they have a scene in the attic where they are just themselves, and they end up kissing each other", Evan Rachel Wood (playing Jessie Sammler) reveals.

Wood adds: "It's really unfair to judge somebody by something that they never really asked for (being gay) who you are. Even people who say, `It's in the Bible' or `It's a sin' - I thought those (biblical) teachings were about accepting all mankind and treating people equally."