Mischa Barton not the first to sue parents
Mischa Barton's financial gripe with her mother is not the first and won't be the last time an actor takes a parent to court.
Barton, who had her breakout role in the successful TV series The OC, claimed in court papers that her mum Nuala Barton was a "greedy stage mother posing as a talent manager".
The 29-year-old claims in the law suit that Nuala kicked her out of a multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills home bought with money earned from her early career.
Besides actors there's also been musicians and sports stars who have taken legal proceedings against their parents.
Here's a few notable instances:
GARY COLEMAN - The Diff'rent Strokes star claimed his adoptive parents and an ex-manager skimmed his earnings from the comedy series in which he played the cheeky Arnold Jackson - and a judge agreed. In 1993, Coleman was awarded nearly $US1.3m from the trio for siphoning his earnings.
MACAULAY CULKIN - The reclusive star once successfully asked a judge to allow him to dip into his Home Alone earnings to buy his mother and six siblings an apartment so they wouldn't be homeless. It followed a custody dispute between his parents, and his father was his manager. He also filed a motion to remove both parents as legal guardians when he was 15. A judge put an accountant in charge of Culkin's finances until he turned 18. He is estranged from his father.
LEIGHTON MEESTER - The Gossip Girl star won a legal battle against her mother. Meester claimed her mother was spending the $7500 per month she was sending to cover her brother's medical bills, on cosmetic procedures. Her mother counter-sued her actress daughter for violation of an alleged support agreement. The judge ruled in favour of Meester.
LEANN RIMES - The country singer filed a lawsuit against her father and co-manager, claiming they skimmed some $US7m from her earnings and that they charged unreasonable fees. She settled out of court and after a frosty relationship with her father, they later reconciled.
KOBE BRYANT - The LA Lakers championship player had to pull rank on his parents when they tried to auction off some of his belongings including high school jerseys and several championship rings from the Lakers. The two lawsuits Bryant took out against his parents were settled in 2013 and his folks ended up publicly apologising.
JACKIE COOGAN - Known in his later life as Uncle Fester on the Addams Family, Coogan was a child star. He appeared in two early Charlie Chaplin movies, A Day's Pleasure (1919) and The Kid (1921). By the time he reached 18, Coogan had earned about $US4m but didn't see much of it. His mother and stepfather refused to hand over what money was left, so Coogan sued. The case resulted in a law to protect child actors which is known as Coogan Law. The law now requires parents to set aside at least 15 per cent of their children's acting earnings in a trust account.
