Melissa Gilbert Makes Candid Confession About Legendary Co-Star

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Melissa Gilbert Makes Candid Confession About Legendary Co-Star originally appeared on Parade.

Melissa Gilbert has worked with many icons during her decades-long career in Hollywood. However, no one will ever compare to her on-screen dad, Michael Landon.

Little House on the Prairie introduced a 10-year-old Gilbert to Landon, who was already a Hollywood icon when the show started. Gilbert recently looked back at her time working with Landon on set, especially in the early days of the drama.

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The actress got candid about Landon while speaking with her former co-star Patrick Labyorteaux on his podcast, The Patrick LabyorSheaux. Labyorteaux played Andrew, Laura’s friend, on Little House on the Prairie.

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"He just sort of nurtured performances out of us. It was just very easy with him. He would praise us when we did well. And then he would scowl if we weren't completely connected,” she said of Landon.

Gilbert also revealed that Landon helped guide the younger cast members throughout Little House on the Prairie’s run.

"I think he found us all really enchanting. And he hired kids who were very natural, intentionally, so we didn't come in with cuteness. We came in with just a kind of grounded,” Gilbert expressed.

Labyorteaux shared that there was no acting with Landon. It was all about reacting because of his killer talents.

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"Every, every scene I did with Michael was so much better than every scene I did with anyone else because your brain and your mind and your face do all the things that it needs to do because you're watching him emote for real," he added.

There’s no question that Landon was a huge influence on Gilbert and Labyorteaux that lasted long past their time on Little House on the Prairie.

Melissa Gilbert Makes Candid Confession About Legendary Co-Star first appeared on Parade on Jul 8, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.