Melissa Gilbert on Leaving Hollywood: “It Wasn’t a Safe Place for Me to Age”
Melissa Gilbert, best known for her iconic role as Laura Ingalls Wilder in teh beloved series “Little House on the prairie,” has opened up about her decision to leave the glitz and glamour of Hollywood for a more peaceful existence.
After captivating audiences as a child star, Gilbert continued to act in films and television shows. However, in 2013, she made a important life change, relocating from Los Angeles to a farmhouse in Michigan. In 2019, she moved to a mountain cottage in upstate New York with her husband, Timothy Busfield.
Speaking to Page Six, Gilbert revealed that the relentless focus on youthfulness in Hollywood contributed to her decision to depart. “I just didn’t feel like that was a safe place for me to age,” she shared candidly.
She described the immense pressure she felt to maintain a youthful appearance and conform to unrealistic beauty standards. “I felt like I had to stay a size two,” she recalled.
As leaving Hollywood, Gilbert has embraced her journey of aging gracefully. The former child star now co-owns a lifestyle brand called “Modern Prairie” with Nicole Haase,a specialist in retail and merchandising.She is enjoying a life centered around authenticity and self-acceptance,far from the demanding spotlight of Hollywood.
From Laura Ingalls Wilder to Modern Woman: Melissa Gilbert’s Journey Beyond Hollywood
Melissa Gilbert, the iconic star who charmed audiences as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the beloved series “Little House on the Prairie,” has traded the Hollywood spotlight for a quieter life. at 60, she’s embracing this new chapter with a level of contentment that comes from finding peace with herself and her priorities.
“I went from, ’Oh God, I better not get older,’ to, ‘Oh God, I’m so glad I’m older,'” she shared. Gilbert’s transformation goes beyond just age; it’s a shift in perspective, valuing wisdom and experience gained over the years. “I love the age I am right now. 60 has been the most incredible year, just to look back on all the things I’ve done and to know that I’ve earned my opinions, I have value, I am wise,” she reflects.Gilbert emphasizes that her decision to step away from Hollywood wasn’t a rejection of the industry but a realization that it no longer aligned with where she was in life. “I do love so much about Los Angeles. It just wasn’t the right place for me to live in any longer, but it will always be my hometown,” she affirms.Hollywood, she revealed, had become notably challenging in terms of ageism.”I felt like hollywood was too ‘anti-aging,’” she explained, recalling the immense pressure she felt to maintain a youthful appearance and body type.
This journey of self-discovery has led Gilbert to embrace a more intentional lifestyle. She launched a modern prairie-inspired lifestyle brand, creating an app designed to empower older women.
This shift is evident in her recent return to television on the Heartwarmin
g series “When Calls The Heart.” Interestingly, the series carries a connection to Gilbert’s past through executive producer Michael Landon Jr., son of the late Michael Landon, who played the beloved Pa Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie.” This reunion with a familiar world,albeit in a different context,seems to mark a harmonious blend of her past and present.
Gilbert’s story offers a powerful message: it’s never too late to rewrite your narrative and embrace a life that truly reflects your values and passions. Her journey serves as an inspiration to us all to seek fulfillment and happiness on our own terms, regardless of societal expectations or the passage of time.
Melissa Gilbert Embraces Authenticity and Aging Gracefully
Actress Melissa Gilbert, known for her iconic role as Laura Ingalls Wilder in the beloved series “Little House on the Prairie,” has undergone a transformative journey, shedding the pressures of Hollywood and embracing her authentic self.
In a recent interview, Gilbert candidly shared her decision to leave behind her former life in California, a place she felt was not conducive to aging gracefully. “I just didn’t feel like that was a safe place for me to age,” she explained.Gilbert, who had undergone multiple cosmetic procedures throughout her career, is now embracing a more natural approach to beauty. “This is me now – no hair color, no filler, no implants, no Botox.I just take care of myself. I try to eat and also I can. I drink a lot of water. And I’m really enjoying the aging process because of that,” she shared.
Gilbert’s transformation stemmed from a profound realization after looking back at old photos and feeling disconnected from the person staring back at her.
“Who is that person? That’s not me. That’s like a shell over what the real me is,” she recalled. She admitted to struggling with the pressure to conform to external standards, stating, “I had to find a place within myself where I could stop trying to, or feeling like I needed to be what everybody else wanted me to be and be exactly who I am.”
This newfound authenticity led Gilbert to co-found Modern Prairie with retail and merchandising expert Nicole Haase. The venture reflects her commitment to embracing her age and sharing her journey with others.
“[Aging] is an uphill battle. Eventually, everyone loses. It just does not fit in with who I am and what my life is now. It’s exhausting and it’s unnecessary,” Gilbert said candidly about the relentless pursuit of youthfulness.
Gilbert’s perspective on aging has shifted dramatically. “I went from, ‘Oh God, I better not get older,’ to, ‘Oh God, I’m so glad I’m older,'” she continued. “I love the age I am right now. 60 has been the most incredible year.”
Finding Peace and Simplicity: Melissa Gilbert’s Tranquil Life After hollywood
at 58, Melissa Gilbert, known for her iconic role as Laura Ingalls Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie,” embraces a life vastly different from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Instead of red carpets,she finds joy in raising chickens and cultivating her own garden on a 14-acre property purchased in 2018.
“I really wanted to reverse that. I wanted to become more spiritual, more grounded, more at peace, more connected to my community, to my family, to my friends,” she explained, reflecting on her decision to embrace a simpler lifestyle.
Gilbert purchased the property, a fixer-upper, for $98,000, and dedicated a year to transforming it into her dream home. Moving in during 2019, she embarked on a journey of intentional living, finding solace in the rhythms of nature.
“I actually feel like Little House On The Prairie was sort of the bait that opened my eyes to what could be,” Gilbert admitted, recalling her childhood experiences on the beloved television set. “I would be on the set, especially when we were outdoors with the chickens and then the frogs and the pond and horses and cows, and everybody had their dogs with them. I was outside in Simi Valley on the ranch and it was always dusty, always dirty, but [I was] just gleeful and happy.”
This childhood interest with rural life blossomed into a lifelong passion. Gilbert confessed to Fox,”I always knew at my core that I loved being in the outdoors and around animals,and enjoyed the sweet,simple things in life.”
Today, Gilbert’s life reflects this philosophy. ”Our lives are simple now, and there’s a sweetness to that simplicity. And with that simplicity comes a real love for stillness and living my life in a peaceful place,” she shared, radiating contentment.
The pandemic, ironically, served as a catalyst for this transformation. Gilbert explained, “Once we got up here, once we got our land and started to look at all the things we could do with it, and then when lockdown happened, it unleashed all of this stuff inside me. There was a person who was dying to have this [new life].”
Looking back, Gilbert marvels at her journey. ”I still can’t believe this is what my life is like now. It’s heaven. I’m just so blessed.”
