Actor Melissa Gilbert called for stronger protections for child stars and free mental health support in an essay published on Substack on Saturday, August 22.
The 62-year-old “Little House on the Prairie” star addressed the deaths of former child actors Hayden Panettiere, Daveigh Chase and Michelle Trachtenberg. Gilbert said the losses felt personal because she shared their experience of growing up in Hollywood.
Gilbert argued that the entertainment industry often expects children to work through physical and emotional distress. She said young performers also face increasing exploitation and reduced privacy because smartphones allow people to record them almost anywhere.
Drawing on her childhood career, Gilbert recalled returning to work within months of her father’s death when she was 11.
She said no adult on the “Little House on the Prairie” set discussed the loss with her because they feared she would become too distressed to perform.
Read: Hayden Panettiere Death Probe Unrelated to Hickerson Home Check
Gilbert also described returning to a film set three days after an emergency appendectomy. She later developed a severe fever and entered hospital care while close to sepsis, according to her August 22 essay.
The actor said child performers should have the right to refuse work and should not face pressure to support their families. She also urged the industry to protect them from cameras and intrusive media coverage.
Gilbert proposed talks with studio and network executives to reduce exploitation. She also advocated free mental health services for child actors as they enter adulthood and suggested that former young performers form their own support group.
