Celebrity Celebrity Relationships Celebrity Dating Mischa Barton and James Abercrombie Reportedly Split After 2 Years of Dating The Hills: New Beginning's star reportedly split with her boyfriend to focus on her career By Claudia Harmata Claudia Harmata Claudia Harmata is a former news writer/reporter at PEOPLE. She left PEOPLE in 2021. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 12, 2019 09:27AM EDT Actress Mischa Barton and Australian model James Abercrombie have reportedly called it quits. A source close to Barton confirmed to E! News that the couple, who started dating in the spring of 2017, has decided to end their relationship so that The O.C. alum could focus on her career. “Mischa and James are over,” the source told E! News on Friday. “The reason she broke up with him is to focus on her career.” Barton’s rep did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Mischa Barton Reveals Who She Keeps Up with the Most from The O.C. — Sandy Cohen! Splash News “This is the first time Mischa is actually having a second life in her career, and she wants to focus on it,” the source added. “That’s the reason she broke up with him.” The 33-year-old actressreturned to the small screen and made her reality TV debut this June on MTV’s reboot The Hills: New Beginnings. Though she never appeared on the original series, which aired for six seasons from 2006-2010, Barton has a special connection to the MTV show. At 17, the actress quickly rose to fame for her starring role as Marissa Cooper on Fox’s The O.C.. The show which premiered in 2003 became an overnight cult success with Barton and her castmates shooting straight to stardom. Paul Archuleta/Getty Still Unwritten! The Hills Cast Celebrates Show’s Reboot with a Night Out in New York City The O.C. inspired MTV’s Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, which then led to The Hills. In July, after a wildly successful season 1, New Beginnings was renewed for a second season. “It’s a new Mischa, and she is super happy about her future again,” the source told E! News about the star’s new life back in the spotlight. “She is all focused on the best she can be. She is really focused on her career. She is changing her life.” Barton and Abercrombie reportedly met at a party in Los Angeles in 2017, according to the outlet — keeping their relationship rather private. The Hills: New Beginnings airs Mondays (10 p.m. ET) on MTV.