For the millions of fans of Little House on the Prairieimagining the series without Melissa Gilbert’s performance as Laura Ingalls is simply inconceivable. The same goes for Shannen Doherty, who played Jenny in 18 episodes of the ninth season. However, did you know that the actress of Charmed almost replaced her playing partner and become, in turn, a version of the daughter of Charles and Caroline Ingalls? We’ll explain it to you.
Shannen Doherty, now internationally recognized for playing Prue Halliwell in Charmedactually started his career much earlier. Her first major role was that of Jenny Wilder in the cult series from the 70s, Little House on the Prairie. The program created by Michael Landon propelled the actress into the spotlight, who subsequently made appearances on the small and big screen.
Season 9 of Little House on the Prairie marked a turning point in the development of history. While many characters said their goodbyes, others appeared and immediately interested viewers. Among the arrivals are Jenny, the braided-haired granddaughter of Royal Wilder and niece of Almanzo, who could almost be confused with Laura Ingalls as the two heroines are so similar. This is also why the actress, who died in July 2024, almost replaced her colleague.
Did Shannen Doherty really come close to replacing Melissa Gilbert in Little House on the Prairie ?
Shannen Doherty played the character of Jenny Wilder in the final chapter of Little House on the Prairie. From then on, the team of the series and the spectators could not miss her striking resemblance to Laura Ingalls. As Laura was now an adult and married, so someone needed to take over.
By adopting a clothing style and physical appearance similar to those of Mary’s sister, Jenny Wilder appeared, in the series, as a revisited Laura Ingalls, who would grow with the audience as the other actress before her did. “ Shannen, who was twelve years old, was an adorable little girl, very kind. With her pigtails and her dress, she literally followed my footsteps and followed me closer than my shadow. She wanted to know what makeup I wore, what jewelry I liked, and if I preferred my Jordache jeans or my Calvin’s. She admired me, even though in many ways I was still a child myself“, then confided the star of the show in his book.
-Why did Melissa Gilbert hate Shannen Doherty?
When Shannen Doherty joined the cast of Little House on the Prairiethe latter got along well with her colleagues, including Melissa Gilbert. However, over the years, a coldness set in in the relationship of the two women, who ended up hating each other.
In his autobiography entitled Prairie Talepublished in 2009, the former president of the Screen Actors Guild revealed that Shannen Doherty had had an affair with Bo Brinkman, her husband with whom she was separated at the time of the facts: “During our separation, he moved into the Oakwood residence in Burbank. Shannen, who was a young adult, lived there too. When Bo and I reconciled in therapy, he confessed everything he did during our separation, and his list of acts included a one-night stand with Shannen. This story particularly annoyed me« .
After this scandal, Melissa Gilbert no longer spoke to Shannen Doherty and even went so far as to ignore her at the 1991 Emmy Awards. The interpreter of Laura Ingalls never forgave her for this affair and in 2014, on the set of Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenGilbert said that if she ever crossed paths with Doherty, she would probably punch him.
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