We liked The OC at the start, but we’re not all that thrilled about recent rumors saying Mischa Barton is joining the Gossip Girl cast.

TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello reports that Mischa Barton being offered a role is now confirmed, but what isn’t certain is whether or not a deal will actually be struck for her to play the recurring role of Georgina Sparks.

Georgina is reportedly going to a “scheme queen” who brings the past of Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) into her present. She would be introduced to the show, presumably, when it returns April 21.

Will Mischa Barton and Blake Lively be co-stars on Gossip Girl?

Executive producer Josh Schwartz, of course, killed Mischa Barton off of The OC, and how runs Gossip Girl, the new CW hit series.

What do you think, Gossip Girl fans? Will Barton fit in with the Gossip Girl cast? Or is the show better off with lesser-known stars?

We believe the latter, as we’ve really enjoyed the work of relative unknowns Blake Lively and Leighton Meester, but want to hear your views.

UPDATE: Mischa’s rep has told Us Weekly that the deal is off: “She will not be on the show. She was approached, but passed.” Don’t get us wrong, we’re happy she bailed, but she could’ve let us talk about it a bit …

Gossip Girl will air new episodes again in 2008. We promise.

And when it does, a pretty new face may be part of the cast: Russin model/actress Eliska Sursova is in talks to join the series. She’d portray a love interest for Chuck Bass, which is intriguing.

We didn’t know Chuck was capable of love.

Sursova was born on Valentine’s Day, 1988, in Manhattan. Previous television appearances have included guest starring stints on House, Boston Public and ER.

Look for Tampa native Dreama Walker on tonight’s Gossip Girl.

The Plant High School graduate is introduced as a new character, Hazel, one of the “in crowd” at the gang’s posh Manhattan prep school.

We get to know Hazel as she makes trouble for spoiled rich girl Blair Waldorf, who is played by series co-star Leighton Meester.

As we know, Blair Waldorf is worried that she might be pregnant. When Hazel and her pals find out, they start snubbing Blair.

Will new character Hazel cause Blair Waldorf (above) trouble?

“We are being added to shake things up,” says Walker, who has been in New York since she graduated from high school four years ago.

The role could be recurring, but DreamaWalker won’t find out until the writers strike is over. There’s currently no end in sight.

“I’m almost 100 percent certain that I will be back,” she said. “I don’t think they would introduce a character that would never be seen again.”

Walker was on an episode of Law & Order as well as Guiding Light. She was in a TV pilot, Zip, for NBC that didn’t get picked up.

She has worked in several films that were made in New York, including the upcoming Sex and the City: The Movie. She also has a role in an indie film, Wherever You Are” making the rounds of film festivals.

Here’s a Gossip Girl spoiler to follow up from yesterday’s preview of “The Handmaiden’s Tale.”

Caridee English - pictured here, a former winner of America’s Next Top Model - will play the role of Bart Bass’ date in the episode.

Remember, Bart is Chuck Bass’ father; he has some sort of history (or present?) with Lily van der Woodsen, who then asks Rufus out in order to make Bart jealous.

Do you think Lily and Rufus will eventually hook up? Talk about these developments and more in our Gossip Girl forum!

Just when you thought Gossip Girl didn’t have room for any more pretty faces…

We hear that Caridee English, past winner of America’s Next Top Model, is set to guest star on the show.

Word has it that she’ll be playing the girlfriend of an older man. Maybe Nate’s demanding father?

It’s unclear at the moment if this is a permanent cast addition or not - but Jessica Szohr is joining Gossip Girl in the role of Vanessa.

She’ll portray Dan’s (Penn Badgley) childhood best friend who moved away from home and returns to New York with a major crush on her former close pal. Unfortunately, she arrives home at a bad time because Dan is falling for Serena.

Szohr’s previous TV credits include CSI and What About Brian.