Rachel Bilson apologizes to 'The O.C.' co-star, director Tate Donovan for acting like 'little a--hole' on set

Rachel Bilson is feeling regretful about her behavior on "The O.C." set.

The 39-year-old actress is best known for her role as Summer Roberts on the series. She welcomed her former co-star and director Tate Donovan on the "Welcome to the O.C. B---hes" podcast on Tuesday with co-host Melinda Clarke. 

In a candid chat about working together, Bilson recalled Donovan's previous confession that the young stars of the show didn't exactly have the best attitudes on set.

"You went on to direct us on ‘The O.C.,’ and I know some of us kids were little a--holes," Bilson recalled to Donovan, who left his recurring role after Season 3 (via Entertainment Tonight). 

RACHEL BILSON SAYS SHE AND RAMI MALEK ARE 'GOOD' AFTER INSTAGRAM THROWBACK PHOTO FIASCO

Bilson took the opportunity to apologize directly to Donovan, whom she applauded for being a "wonderful director and amazing human."

"I hope I wasn’t as bad as it’s come off. I hope I wasn’t -- because I really, you know, you get influenced, I’d say, by your surroundings," the actress added. "So if I ever added to any of the a**hole-ness, I want to apologize on record."

Fortunately for Bilson, Donovan said she was a "total sweetheart" on the show. He then shared a funny memory he has of helping Bilson prepare for a scene.

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"You were in Seth's house, and you were coming down into the pool [house] to talk to Ryan or something like that. And you did the scene. And it was great," Donovan said. "I just wanted to put something in your mind. And I said, 'Just so you know … you've just come from Seth's room and you've had a huge argument in that thing and you're, like, breaking up. And so, I want to see that argument in you, like, you know that right?'" 

"I didn’t want to, like, insult you by reminding you that," the director continued. "I'm like, 'I'm sure you read the script, but you know, you just came from an argument.' And you go, 'Tate, I don't read scripts, I smoke pot.'" 

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Bilson laughed it off, calling her own clueless attitude back then "hilarious."

Bilson and Donovan's chat comes just days after Mischa Barton, another star of the series, got candid about her departure from the show. The 35-year-old revealed to E! News that "bullying" behind the scenes ultimately led her to leave the show in 2006 despite being one of its main stars.

"There were people on that set that were very mean to me," Barton explained. "It wasn’t, like, the most ideal environment for a young, sensitive girl who’s also been thrust into stardom to have to put up with."

According to Barton, things became more difficult during Season 2 when the hours got longer and producers allegedly started "evening out everybody’s pay" after promoting Bilson.

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"And sort of general bullying from some of the men on set that kind of felt really s---," she added.

"But, you know, I also loved the show and had to build up my own walls and ways of getting around dealing with that and the fame that was thrust specifically at me," Barton continued. "Just dealing with like the amount of invasion I was having in my personal life, I just felt very unprotected, I guess is the best way to put it."

Fox News' Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.