After decades in the spotlight, this former child star made life-altering decisions that have allowed her to age gracefully far away from Hollywood. Her recent photos at 60 reveal a woman who has let go of modern beauty standards, opting instead for authenticity and self-acceptance.
A former child star, known for her iconic role in “Little House on the Prairie,” has made a surprising life transformation. After years in the Hollywood spotlight and the pressures of maintaining a youthful appearance, she chose a radically different path
She left Los Angeles behind, gave up beauty procedures, and moved to a quiet mountain home. Far away from fame and glamor, she began to reconnect with herself and embrace the natural aging process. It was a drastic change, but it allowed her to focus on her well-being and redefine what aging meant to her.
Her journey in show business began early. Born in Los Angeles, she got her start in acting as a toddler, appearing in commercials. At nine years old, she landed the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder in “Little House on the Prairie,” which became a hit series.
The show depicted the trials and adventures of the Ingalls family in the nineteenth-century Midwest. Premiering in the mid-1970s, it became a staple of American television. The fame she garnered from the show opened doors to a dazzling Hollywood life.
She would remain a regular on the Hollywood scene for decades, even appearing on “Dancing with the Stars,” at the age of 47. Reflecting on her childhood in the industry, she once said, “I had an incredible time growing up.”
By the ’80s, she was a familiar face at red-carpet events, mingling with top stars and dating notable figures like Billy Idol and Rob Lowe. Her personal life also made headlines, starting with her marriage to actor and director Bo Brinkman in 1988. The couple had a son together, but their relationship was rocky, ending in divorce in 1994.
Not long after, she married her second husband, Bruce Boxleitner, a prominent actor known for his roles in the “Tron” franchise and various TV series. The two shared a long marriage of 16 years and had a son before divorcing in 2011.
It was a whirlwind experience, filled with the highs and lows of life in the spotlight. As she got older, though, she faced new challenges. Hollywood’s beauty standards became harder to keep up with, pushing her to take steps she would later regret.
In her younger years, the young actress felt the pressure to keep up with Hollywood’s idea of beauty. Wanting to fit in, she turned to cosmetic enhancements in an attempt to look younger, opting for breast implants, fillers, and regular Botox injections.
For a while, it seemed like part of the job. However, the procedures began to take a toll on her both physically and mentally. “I looked at myself in the mirror several years back,” she shared in an interview. “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,” she reflected. “I looked like a frozen version of my younger self, and that’s not who I was.”
She realized she was trying too hard to fit into Hollywood’s narrow definition of youth, even though it no longer felt right to her. “I was stuck,” she admitted. It wasn’t just the physical changes that bothered her — it was the feeling of being disconnected from her true self.
So, in 2013, she made a bold choice: she decided to leave Los Angeles and the lifestyle that came with it. This decision marked the start of a significant transformation, not just in her appearance, but in her entire way of living. She knew she needed a fresh start, away from the constant scrutiny and pressure to look a certain way.
In 2013, Melissa Gilbert married her third husband, actor Timothy Busfield. The couple wanted a life away from the intense scrutiny of Hollywood, opting instead for the simplicity and slower pace of the Midwest.
For Gilbert, this move was about more than just changing her address — it was a chance to reclaim her sense of self. Gilbert credits her husband for being a strong supporter during this transition.
The shift away from the constant spotlight gave her the freedom to embrace the aging process naturally. “I had to leave Los Angeles to do that – not Hollywood – Los Angeles specifically,” she explained.
In Michigan, she took a major step in this new direction by halting all cosmetic procedures. By 2015, she decided to remove her breast implants, a choice she described as liberating. She also stopped dyeing her trademark red hair, allowing her natural gray to shine.
“In the five years that I was in Michigan, all of that stopped,” she said, adding that she “focused on being as physically and emotionally healthy as I could.”
Gilbert now finds aging to be a remarkable experience. While she acknowledges the challenges, such as aching ankles and drier skin, she emphasizes that “aging is not for sissies, but it is certainly better than the alternative.”
She embraced the idea of aging, finding joy in the natural process rather than fighting against it. “Yes, I’m aging, but it’s not a curse — it’s a blessing,” she said. Her time in Michigan marked a turning point, allowing her to reset and focus on what truly mattered to her.
After five peaceful years in Michigan, Gilbert and Busfield decided to continue their journey toward a simpler life by moving to New York. In 2018, they found a rustic cottage on 14 acres in the Catskill Mountains, a place that was far from glamorous but full of potential.
The couple lovingly named their new home “The Cabbage.” It was a fixer-upper, requiring significant work before it could be livable, but that didn’t deter them.
“We bought this place in the winter of 2018,” Gilbert recalled. “It had no heat, and the plumbing was kind of wonky .[..] It was like the people had just wrapped up out of the house and it sat there for decades like that.”
The couple embraced the process of turning the cottage into their home. They spent their first night there on a mattress on the floor, huddled in front of a wood-burning stove for warmth. “I just remember thinking at that moment, ‘This is home. This is going to be our home,'” Gilbert said.
Over time, they renovated the space, putting in a heating system and tackling countless repairs. Busfield even took on the task of scrubbing the ceilings with hydrogen peroxide and Clorox. The work was hard, but it was exactly what they had hoped for — a project they could dive into together, creating a home that was entirely their own.
The move to the Catskills represented a continuation of their commitment to live authentically and embrace a slower, more natural way of life. Gilbert’s connection to her new surroundings deepened as she began growing her own food, raising chickens, and embracing a self-sustained lifestyle.
Life in the Catskills brought Gilbert a new kind of joy, rooted in simplicity and self-sufficiency. Her days are not what she was used to in Hollywood, but they are filled with activities that connect her to nature and her home.
“It’s not glamorous at all,” she confessed. “Mornings usually start around 7 a.m. with a cup of tea and some peaceful meditation.” One of her first tasks each day is tending to her chickens. Gilbert has fully embraced her role as a caretaker on the small farm.
She cleans out the coop, collects fresh eggs, and makes sure the “girls,” as she calls them, have their treats. After finishing her chores with the chickens, she moves on to her garden. Gilbert grows a variety of vegetables and enjoys checking on her plants, though she admits there’s always something that needs fixing or adjusting.
“There’s usually something that goes wrong or is broken and needs to be fixed. And we’ve all got projects to start,” she explained. By the late afternoon, she and Busfield wrap up their projects, take showers, and settle down for a home-cooked dinner before relaxing on the couch.
“I just take care of myself. I try to eat as well as I can. I drink a lot of water,” she shared. Embracing her natural gray hair, free of dyes and treatments, is part of her journey toward authenticity. This new way of living also led her to start a project that would help others embrace the aging process just as she has.
In 2021, Gilbert co-founded Modern Prairie, a lifestyle brand created specifically for mature women. The idea behind it was to offer a supportive space where women could celebrate aging, share their stories, and learn from one another, focusing on health, wellness, and creativity.
Gilbert partnered with Nicole Haase, a former Williams Sonoma executive, to bring the project to life. Together, they developed a brand that emphasizes authenticity and connection. They cater to women who, like Gilbert, are navigating the changes that come with age.
The goal, she explained, is to “support one another as we go through all the incredible changes we are experiencing at this phase in our lives, both physically and emotionally.”
Modern Prairie offers a variety of products that reflect Gilbert’s own lifestyle, from home goods to wellness items. But beyond the merchandise, the brand also features workshops, community events, and discussions aimed at empowering women to feel confident in themselves.
It’s a space where women can come together, ask questions, and share their experiences, breaking down the stigma around aging. In addition to its everyday offerings, Modern Prairie has also aligned itself with causes close to Gilbert’s heart.
For Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November, the brand launched a special collection featuring the color purple, with all proceeds going to support PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network).
“I finally found my feet as a woman, fully, 100 percent strong in my own knowledge and my own accomplishments,” she said proudly. Her brand’s message is a continuation of the lifestyle she’s adopted in the Catskills, about simplicity, self-acceptance, and joy.
