Additional Coverage:
- ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star Melissa Gilbert Says She Hollywood Isn’t a ‘Safe Place to Age’ (newsbreak.com)
“Little House on the Prairie” star Melissa Gilbert, 60, has opened up about why she left Hollywood. She felt the industry pressured her to stay young and thin, an environment she found unhealthy. Gilbert stated that aging in Hollywood felt unsafe.
Now living in Manhattan, Gilbert has embraced getting older. She’s found a new appreciation for her life experiences and the wisdom that comes with age. Sixty, she says, has been her best year yet.
Her latest project is an off-Broadway play called “Still,” co-starring Mark Moses. The play explores a former couple reuniting after 30 years, a theme that resonated with Gilbert’s own relationship history.
Gilbert’s past marriages include Bo Brinkman, Bruce Boxleitner, and her current husband, Timothy Busfield. She reflected on the sense of freedom she felt after her previous marriages ended.
Despite relocating, Gilbert still feels a strong connection to Los Angeles. Recent wildfires, which devastated the area and impacted people she knew, reinforced her love for the city. She was particularly moved by the losses suffered by ordinary residents, not just celebrities.