How often do you think about an old show you loved and wonder how the actors are doing now? If you were a fan of “Little House on the Prairie,” following the Ingalls family on their farm in Plum Creek, near Walnut Grove, Minnesota, you might be curious about the actors’ lives today.
One of the show’s stars, Melissa Sue Anderson, who played Mary Ingalls, was a fan favorite. Viewers expected her to continue in the limelight, but she had other plans. Anderson talks about her desire to move to Canada and leave Hollywood behind.
She made the decision to step away from show business in 2007 after her family became Canadian citizens. Anderson wanted to spend more time with her children and didn’t want them to feel pressured to follow in her acting footsteps.
Anderson’s career began with supporting roles, but she broke through as Mary Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie.” Her performance earned her several nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and her fans believed she deserved every one.
In 2010, Anderson shared her thoughts about filming the show that made her famous. She told Pop Entertainment, “I’m lucky that there was even a character to play, because in the book, there isn’t much of one.” She explained how Laura Ingalls’ books, which inspired the show, didn’t focus much on Mary.
“When Laura [Ingalls] penned the Little House novels—which served as the basis for the television show and the focal point of the narrative—she was a considerably older lady. She was reminiscing about her finest moments.
Not much was determined by the personalities of Ma and Mary. While Mary wasn’t present as much, there was a lot of Laura, Pa, Jack the dog, and Mr. Edwards. It’s a blessing that they realized I could act.”
After her time as Mary Ingalls, Anderson took on a few small roles before marrying television producer Michael Sloan in 1990. In 2002, they moved to Montreal with their two kids, Griffin and Piper. Anderson decided to leave show business in 2007, focusing on her family instead.
In an interview with E-Talk, Anderson said, “I really stepped away for a long time.” She emphasized that it was mainly for her children, so they could develop their own identities rather than being known just as her kids.
While Anderson stepped away from acting for many years, she did take on a few small roles more recently. Her experience on “Little House on the Prairie” inspired her to write a memoir, “The Way I See It: A Look Back at My Life on Little House.”
On June 21, 2022, Melissa Sue Anderson attended the closing ceremony of the 61st Monte Carlo TV Festival in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
For all the fans of Melissa Sue Anderson and “Little House on the Prairie,” it’s wonderful to see her happy and enjoying life beyond Hollywood.
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