This Child Star Removed Her Implants, Fillers & Moved to a Countryside Home in the Mountains to Age Gracefully – Her Pics at 60
After going from center stage to center farm in a matter of decades, Melissa Gilbert – the iconic star of Little House on the Prairie – has undergone an incredible transformation. At 60 years old, she prefers chickens, garden beds and an incredibly happy life in the Catskill Mountains to red carpets and beauty regiments. Gilbert’s most recent photos model a woman who has released many of the burdens society weighs on her, and who’s accepting of her true self per her, and when she’s ready.
Child Star and Lifelong Celebrity
Gilbert was born in Los Angeles, CA and was acting before she learned to write her name. At the age of 9, Melissa Gilbert was Laura Ingalls Wilder in Little House on the Prairie; that role became a part of the television landscape.
That role changed her life, as celebrity life does – Gilbert was red carpet regular through the 1980s and had a dating history with celebrity names like Billy Idol and Rob Lowe. In 1988, Gilbert married Bo Brinkman – actor/director, then married Bruce Boxleitner from Tron, whom she had a son with and shared a 16-year marriage with.
Gilbert’s career remained strong (Dancing with the Stars at 47), but maintaining the bar of expectation against an industry that refuses to change what is expected of its women was a bit of a struggle.
The Perils of Perfection
Like many in Hollywood, Gilbert succumbed to society’s pressure of never being not youthful. Gilbert began to seek cosmetic procedures, including implants, fillers and Botox, all of which put her in an internal state of not being connected with herself and miserable.
“I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself,” she said during a candid interview. “I felt like a frozen version of my younger self, and that is not who I was anymore.”
It was in the year 2013 that things changed. Tired of chasing an illusion, Gilbert departed Los Angeles. She wanted to be a part of something real that allowed her to grow up and grow old without the constant shame and judgment.
A New Beginning in the Midwest
That same year, Gilbert married actor, Timothy Busfield. They relocated to Michigan together, seeking peace, solitude, and a more grounded way to live. Once arrived, it was here that Gilbert began her journey of reclaiming herself- away from the industry and social expectations.
Gilbert quit dying her hair, she ceased all cosmetic procedures, and she even had her breast implants removed. “It was so liberating,” she said. “I felt me for the first time in about 5 years.”
Gilbert chose to embrace aging, not as an argument but as a gift. “Sure, my skin is drier and my ankles are sore, but I’m still here—which is what matters.”
Moving to the Catskills: Simple, Honest, and Real Living
In 2018, Gilbert and Busfield took things even further – relocating to a little rustic cottage with 14 acres in New York’s Catskill Mountains. It was everything they wanted. It was not fancy, it was cold, and it needed fixing up, but it was simple and peaceful, exactly what they were looking for.
Their first night was spent on a mattress on the floor-together, huddled beside a wood-burning stove. Even with the cold and the chaos, Gilbert remembers being certain: “This is home.”
They renovated the house with their own two hands. Gilbert took to the land- raising chickens, growing vegetables, and learning to live with the seasons. Now her mornings start with tea and meditation and evenings end with home cooked meals and stillness.
Letting Go of Hollywood’s Rules
She no longer has the help of stylists or skin care clinics. Gilbert cares for herself as organically as possible. “I eat well, drink water and exercise,” she says. “That’s my beauty regimen.”
Her silver hair, formally dyed red, is brilliant. She is no longer ashamed of her age- she embraces it.
Creating a Space for Women Like Her
Gilbert started Modern Prairie in 2021 with the vision of a lifestyle brand for women like her- women who want to build connection, creativity and self-acceptance in their lives. Partnering with Nicole Haase, former executive with Williams Sonoma, Gilbert sought to connect community rather than just build a store.
While the brand offers everything from home goods to wellness products, the brand’s values lie within storytelling and shared experience. “We want women to feel validated and supported as they age,” Gilbert states.
Modern Prairie also supports causes close to Gilbert. During the Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, Gilbert and Modern Prairie honored loved ones who have lost their battle with pancreatic cancer by donating proceeds from a collection to PanCAN.
Love That Deepens with Age
One of the things that grounds Gilbert is being married. Gilbert and Busfield have an authentic love for each other, a love deepened through their desire to retreat from the noise of fame. “Our love has only enlarged as we’ve aged,” Gilbert shares.
He is not simply her husband, but her partner in every aspect of life. Whether they are fixing up their home, gardening or watching the sun go down from their porch, Gilbert enjoys the simplest of life’s moments with Busfield.
Celebrating Family, Growing Old, and Living Well
Gilbert is also a happy grandmother of nine. While her children and grandchildren live miles apart from one another, she relishes every visit with them and each FaceTime call.
“I have a young spirit with an old wise mind, ” she jokes, adding: “That little fire- cracker Laura Ingalls is still in there. She reminds me to be curious, passionate and a little bit crazy.”
And even now, Gilbert has yet to retire from acting-still pursuing creative projects on her own terms. The motivation behind her work has changed, no longer chasing approval, simply willing to take that road.
