Die-hard Brady Bunch fans that obsessed over Marcia Brady were one that Maureen McCormick revealed came as a “shock” to her.
Loyal fans can relate to the fact that viewers become so invested in characters’ lives that we feel like we know them personally. Maureen McCormick was not prepared for this.
In a 2008 article with CBS News, McCormick opened up about her struggles.
Maureen McCormick was only 14-years-old when she first found herself on the set of ABC’s hit show, The Brady Bunch. She starred as the oldest daughter, Marcia Brady, in the show but struggled to live up to the Miss Perfect character that she portrayed on television.
“I’ll always be struck by how much a part of people’s lives Marcia is and always will be. But now I’m not bothered by the connection. It took most of my life, countless mistakes and decades of pain and suffering to reach this point of acceptance.”
Regardless, throughout the ups and downs over the years, Maureen McCormick explained that she had come to terms with playing Marcia Brady.
“It’s been kind of a roller coaster ride. At one time, it was wonderful. At one time, it was awful to be her. And I’ve come to this point where I really love her and accept her.”
Maureen McCormick’s Homelife
While her life may have been portrayed as cheery on screen, that wasn’t the case for Maureen McCormick at home. She battled anxiety and insecurities internally. Externally, she dealt with being the youngest of four children to an unpredictable father who abused and cheated on her mother.
Not many people understood the unfortunate reality of McCormick’s situation.
“As a teenager, I had no idea that few people are everything they present to the outside world,” she writes in her book Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice. “Yet there I was, hiding the reality of my life behind the unreal perfection of Marcia Brady. … No one suspected the fear that gnawed at me even as I lent my voice to the chorus of Bradys singing, `It’s a Sunshine Day.”‘
By the time the sitcom ended, Maureen McCormick was 19 years old.
McCormick went down a dark path with drugs and mental illness since the show ended. However, she has worked very hard through rehab and other therapy towards her healing process. We are happy to report that McCormick has come out stronger on the other side.
She is currently 64-year-old and living in Los Angeles. The actress is set to host an HGTV series called Frozen in Time.
