Whitney Port may have been fangirling over Mischa Barton’s casting on The Hills: New Beginnings, but one member of the MTV hit wasn’t initially feeling the love for her new costar’s aloof personality — Heidi Montag.
“I think it was a little frustrating for me at first, because, like, we’ve put our whole lives into this show before and after, so to have someone come in and, like, be so reserved was a little bit frustrating,” Montag, 32, confessed to Us Weekly earlier this month.
The “More Is More” singer explained: “I don’t think it was intentional, I think that is, like, how she is, and she’s just a little more closed and needed a little more time to open [up].”
Jason Wahler admitted that he also found the O.C. alum, 33, to be a bit closed off upon first meeting her. “She was very sheltered in the beginning. Very sheltered and shy and I think as I’ve gotten to know her … she was definitely…”
“…misunderstood,” Wahler’s wife, Ashley Wahler, chimed in.
“I feel like she’s, like, a little timid and not as, like, open as the rest of us, but then as soon as you hang out with her she becomes more real and raw,” Ashley, 30, explained.
Frankie Delgado shared that Barton, herself, admitted to having a hard time letting the cameras into her life. “What we do is really hard to do and I think that she kind of proved it right,” he said. “Like, she was like, ‘Yo, listen, this is the hardest thing I’ve done.’”
He added, “You gotta put yourself out there. … People can spot that fakeness.”
Now that the Basement actress’ walls have come down, however, the cast seemingly agreed that she is a great fit for the show.
“I think she’s really quirky and funny and … she’s a great addition to the cast. I really like Mischa,” Montag told Us.
Ashley is also a big fan: “I love Mischa, I have a great time with her.”
Watch the video above to find the out rest of the cast’s first impressions of Barton.
The Hills: New Beginnings premieres on MTV Monday, June 24, at 10 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Emily Longeretta and Travis Cronin
