- Melissa Gilbert played "Laura Ingalls"
- 'Little House on the Prairie' was not easy for her
- She lost herself
In a recent interview with 'People,' the 59-year-old Melissa Gilbert reflects on the process of aging, a journey that unfolded in the public eye after spending her formative years on the set of 'Little House on the Prairie.'
Melissa Gilbert on her time as a child star
“As a kid actor I twisted myself into being what anybody wanted me to be at any given time. And that created a lot of mental and emotional anguish for me. I never really allowed myself to be my authentic self," she reports.
Today, Melissa Gilbert finds a newfound ease in navigating the aging process. Yet, she acknowledges that for many, she remains forever associated with her iconic portrayal of the young "Laura Ingalls."
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"There are people who will perennially assume that I'm 12 years old," she says. "And I will always be that girl, full of wonder and running through the fields. Half Pint is inside me always. But we are all aging."
Today, Melissa Gilbert enjoys a contented life with her husband, Timothy Busfield, and has the joy of being a grandmother to several grandchildren.
