Melissa Gilbert, the iconic star of Little House on the Prairie, revealed that she “had to get out” of Hollywood to feel comfortable with aging. After gaining fame as a child star, Gilbert found the pressures of the entertainment industry overwhelming and sought a more authentic way of living.
Child Star Fame and Pressure
Gilbert landed the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder at just 9 years old, propelling her into the spotlight. Reflecting on her time in Hollywood, she told *People* magazine, “All of the pressures, I faced all of them. When you live in Los Angeles, it’s like living at the mall when you work at the mall. Literally, everyone is in the business.” Gilbert explained how the constant competition and scrutiny took a toll, especially on women in the industry. “It puts a lot of pressure on staying thin and staying young… It makes it hard to feel comfortable in one’s own skin, because of the aging process.”
Embracing Aging and Authenticity
For Gilbert, the choice was clear: “Are you going to age comfortably and happily? Or are you going to fight it and feel like there’s something wrong with you for aging?” She decided to embrace the aging process as a blessing rather than a curse.
In 2013, she and her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, moved to Michigan to escape the pressures of Los Angeles. During her time there, Gilbert stopped using Botox, facial fillers, and even removed her breast implants in 2015. “I had to get out of there because it felt like I was not being authentically myself,” she said, adding that the move allowed her to focus on being physically and emotionally healthy.
A New Chapter in Upstate New York
In 2018, Gilbert and her husband bought a cottage in upstate New York, a place they worked on together. “We spent our first night there… on a mattress on the floor in the living room,” Gilbert recalled in a 2022 interview with Fox News Digital. “That night, I realized, ‘Oh gosh, this is really it. And we’re going to be doing this ourselves.'”
No Regrets About Leaving Hollywood
While Gilbert misses her family and friends in Los Angeles, she doesn’t regret leaving Hollywood behind. “I miss my relatives and friends in Los Angeles. I miss them terribly… but I don’t miss Hollywood,” she admitted. After reconnecting with her family, including her mother and grandchildren, she expressed hope for more visits as the world continues to open up.
