One Little House on the Prairie cast member knew right from the get-go that her life was changing in the blink of an eye.
There’s some room to debate on which lifestyle one would prefer. Living the life of a star, being looked at, pointed at, asked to stop and talk, take photos, etc. Or living a normal, quiet life. On the surface, being a star seems pretty great. But when you really think about it, maybe living a “regular life” is a luxury in itself.
Most actors and actresses start as “regular” people. But once they gain notoriety, their everyday life begins to change. Just ask Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Anderson. She is most popular for her role as Mary Ingalls on the NBC drama series. She got the part at just 11 years old. And in a 2010 interview with Pop Entertainment, she said she quickly realized that she wouldn’t have a “regular life.”
“By the beginning of the second season, we were recognized all the time,” she says. “I knew I wasn’t going to have a regular life then.”
Little House on the Prairie Star Talks Being a Child Star
Melissa Anderson definitely puts things into perspective for us average folk. We tend to think that actors and actresses have it made. And while that may be partially true, they also have to learn to live in a new world. The Little House on the Prairie star says that she had to learn early on how to interact with and behave around fans.
“I did have to learn how to always be good to the fans, even though as a kid, it’s awkward,” she admits. “It’s awkward as an adult too. Fans mean well. You mean well. You’re walking along and sometimes people stop and stare and point.”
There is definitely a case to be made that trying to accomplish everyday tasks as a star can be a little daunting. But Anderson said that she eventually learned how to tune out some of the noise.
“It’s easier if they just come up to you and get it over with and talk. As a kid, it was magnified. It was a little harder. But you get good at it,” she explains to PopEntertainment.com in the interview. “I also got good at walking and looking straight ahead. Not looking around and slowly walking. You need a direction and you’re focused on it and you go, and people don’t notice you as much.”
We’re glad that she adjusted so well to stardom. But maybe the quiet, “regular life” is the way to go.
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