Melissa Gilbert Embraces Aging and New Beginnings Away from Hollywood

Melissa Gilbert, the actress renowned for her portrayal of Laura Ingalls in ‘Little House on the Prairie‘, has opened up about her decision to move away from Los Angeles and embrace the aging process. She recently shared with Fox News that she left the city several years ago to escape the pressures of maintaining a youthful appearance, saying, «I looked at myself in the mirror several years back. I was living in Los Angeles, and I did not recognize who I was.»

In Los Angeles, Gilbert felt trapped by the expectations of youth and beauty. «I had overfilled my face and my lips. My forehead didn’t move. I was still dyeing my hair red. I was driving a Mustang convertible. I was a size two in an unhealthy way. I looked like a frozen version of my younger self, and that’s not who I was.» Gilbert realized that she needed a change, saying, «I was stuck. I could feel myself fighting it. And I said to myself, ‘It’s time to age.’ I had to leave Los Angeles to do that— not Hollywood— Los Angeles specifically.»

After moving, Gilbert made several significant lifestyle changes to better embrace her natural self. «I stopped coloring my hair. I had [my] breast implants removed. I decided to just be the best, healthiest version of myself without this pressure to look a certain way, and it paid off in a huge way,» she recalled.

Gilbert emphasized how these changes allowed her to find her identity outside of Hollywood’s parameters. «I finally found my feet as a woman, fully, 100 percent strong in my own knowledge, in my own accomplishments. Everything got easier. And a bonus? I have a lot more free time not staring in a mirror, sitting in a dermatologist’s chair, or sitting in a hair chair.»

Her personal growth has also had a profound impact on her marriage with Timothy Busfield. «I think as I’ve aged, we’ve just fallen more and more in love with one another, which is such an extraordinary gift,» Gilbert shared. She noted that her newfound comfort in her skin has enhanced their relationship.

Despite leaving Los Angeles, Gilbert has continued her acting career. She will be joining the cast of ‘When Calls the Heart‘ for its twelfth season, where she will appear as Georgie McGill, a character who shares a surprising past with a Hope Valley resident. The season will premiere on January 5, on the Hallmark channel.

Gilbert relishes her life away from the urban lifestyle, expressing to Fox News her contentment with her rural lifestyle in New York. «I’ve always loved being in the outdoors. I’ve always loved being around animals. I think this was who I always was at my core. I just happened to grow up in urban cities… I still can’t believe this is what my life is like now. It’s heaven. I’m just so blessed.»