Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls
We are sure that it was not easy for Melissa Gilbert to shoot to stardom at the age of 9. The young girl beat more than 500 other child actresses for this role. This was how she earned the part of Laura Ingalls, which is pretty incredible on its own. The show followed the character as she grew up. You can even call it a coming-of-age story that details her development into adulthood. Needless to say, the show would not have been the same without her acting chops!
Melissa Gilbert Now
The actress kept working even once the show was over. She was on the drama for nearly a decade, and it took up nearly all her teenage years! She went on to star in Heart of the Storm and The Diary of Anne Frank. Aside from those projects, she was also in Batman: The Animated Series, Nip/Tuck, and Babylon 5. She has also entered politics by running for Congress in Michigan and winning the primary. Sadly, she dropped out because of health problems.