Melissa Gilbert Reveals Why She Left ‘Anti-Aging’ Los Angeles

In a new interview, Melissa Gilbert opened up about her journey from Hollywood to New York City, leaving behind Los Angeles’ “anti-aging” culture to embrace life on the East Coast.

However, the actress noted that she still loves L.A. and realized her deep attachment to her hometown after the “wildfires.”

Now living in Manhattan with her husband, Timothy Busfield, Melissa Gilbert reflects on her past and upcoming projects.

During a chat with Page Six, Gilbert, who stepped away from Hollywood in 2013, revealed that she left the City of Angels for New York City, describing California as a place that is “so anti-aging.”

The former “Little House on the Prairie” star, now 60, explained: “I just didn’t feel like that was a safe place for me to age. It’s so anti-aging, which is one of my least favorite expressions in the world. Anti-aging means dead.”

Gilbert admitted that during her time in California, she often felt pressured to “not get any older and stay a size 2 or 4 or whatever [she] was at that time.”

But her perspective shifted dramatically after her move to the East Coast. “I went from, ‘Oh God, I better not get older!’ to ‘Oh God, I’m so glad I’m older!'” she said.

Gilbert continued, “I love the age I am right now. Sixty has been the most incredible year, just to look back on all the things I’ve done and to know that I’ve earned my opinions, I have value, I am wise.”

She added, “I have done so much, and I continue to do it, and it’s not over by any stretch of the imagination.”

Now happily settled in Manhattan’s Upper West Side with her husband, Timothy Busfield, Gilbert shared that she still holds a deep affection for Los Angeles despite leaving it behind.

“I did not realize the depth of love that I have for my hometown until the wildfires,” she said, referencing the Pacific Palisades blaze that erupted on January 7, 2025. “The amount of people I know who have lost everything, and not movie stars and television stars.”

Although she admits L.A. will always be special to her, Gilbert explained, “It just wasn’t the right place for me to live in any longer, but it will always be my hometown.”

Looking ahead, the “Dancing With The Stars” alum is preparing to star alongside “Mad Men” actor Mark Moses in the off-Broadway play “Still.”

The drama explores the complexities of a couple reuniting after 30 years to determine “if they can rekindle this relationship now despite the fact that that they are political, polar opposites.”

During the chat, Gilbert revealed that she drew from her life experiences for her role in “Still,” particularly her past marriages to Bo Brinkman (1988–1994) and Bruce Boxleitner (1995–2011), where differing political views caused tension.

“That did become untenable, and it was before 2016 when things got even more heated,” the “Prairie Tale” author explained, per Page Six, referencing Donald Trump’s first term as president.

She continued, “I will say that both of those times when I was single again, there was a weight that was lifted and a peace that filled my home because I didn’t have to clamp down on my opinion or not start an argument because I disagreed.”

Meanwhile, Gilbert has a full plate ahead, including a role in the Hallmark series “When Calls the Heart” and her work with Modern Prairie, a lifestyle brand catering to older women with apparel and decor.

Performances for “Still” are set to begin on February 6, 2025.

Gilbert appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on October 30 and reflected on the enduring legacy of “Little House on the Prairie.”

When host Kelly Clarkson commended her for being part of such an iconic series, which aired from 1974 to 1983, Gilbert shared a touching personal moment about how the show continues to bring generations together.

“I watch [Little House on the Prairie] now with a couple of my granddaughters,” she said in a clip shared on Instagram.

“They have started watching, and it’s just amazing. And it kills my mom too when she comes in and sees that we’re all watching … [it’s] multigenerational. Yeah, she just starts sobbing,” Gilbert shared.

When Clarkson asked why she believes the show remains so impactful decades later, Gilbert highlighted its timeless themes and relevance.

“A lot of people will say it’s because the stories are about, you know, community and family and love and acceptance and all the good things in life that we all crave,” she explained, per Good Housekeeping.

Gilbert added, “But we were also telling the stories of America in 1974 through the lens of 1874. We were telling stories of veterans coming home from Vietnam, but it was the Civil War … We were telling the stories of racism, anti-Semitism, chauvinism, and all of the things that we were fighting. And we’re still telling the same stories and trying to learn the same lessons.”