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Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Miss Beadle: Charlotte Stewart On 'Little House' Legacy
Little House On the Prairie is one of the most beloved shows of all time, and continues to reach new levels of popularity. Netflix recently announced a Little House reboot, and in 2024, the series reached over 13 billion minutes of streaming on Peacock alone! I had so much fun chatting with Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler that I reached out to Charlotte Stewart, who portrayed the lovable Miss Beadle. We hopped on Zoom to chat all about one of television's greatest teachers and continue celebrating over 50 years of iconic episodes. Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. BuzzFeed: Can you tell me about your audition for Little House? Charlotte Stewart: In those days, I did a lot of television. I did shows like Gunsmoke and Medical Center, and it was just another interview. I didn't know it was a series. But when I walked in the door, I saw Michael Landon sitting there, and that was a shock. I had worked on Bonanza, but I didn't work with Mike, and I didn't know he was doing a series. I didn't know anything. I thought it was just another interview for another Western. So it was a shock, but it was an easy interview. I showed up in my jeans and my tie-dye t-shirt. There had to be about 9 or 10 men in the room — no women. It was before they had a woman casting director. So it's this big room, everybody in folding chairs, and they asked, "Are you ready to read?" I asked the producer, "Can I sit behind your desk?" He looked at Mike and all the guys, and said, "Sure, okay." So he gets up, and I go sit down at his desk. They're all looking around, and asking each other, "Well, what do you think?" and I went, "Silence!" That's amazing! You definitely embodied a schoolteacher very quickly with that. Charlotte Stewart: I'm pretty sure it got me the part! Miss Beadle had quite the wig. Was it uncomfortable wearing it? Charlotte Stewart: It was uncomfortable, but you get used to it pretty quickly. I had just cut my hair, so there was no choice. I had long hair before, so they couldn't have fashioned it. But we were characters, and I think they would have given me a wig whether I had long hair or not. They would have done it because they wanted all the frilly stuff around. It was both a wig and an attachment for the bun in the back. It was a lot, and it was hot in Simi Valley. But Alison Arngrim [Nellie], who was a little girl at the time, had to wear a wig, and Ma [portrayed by Karen Grassle] had to wear some attachments because she had short hair too. We're actors — we adapt! Speaking of Simi Valley, I was always captivated by Walnut Grove. After multiple seasons of Little House, did it start to feel like a real town rather than a set to you? Charlotte Stewart: Yes. You know, the makeup trailers and wardrobe trailers were far away. They were over a hill, out of sight, so you couldn't see them, no matter what direction the camera was in. I would go to the makeup trailer, get made up, get my wig on, go to wardrobe, and get into my costume. Then I would walk up a hill, and over a hill, and as soon as I got to the top, there was Walnut Grove. I had to walk down a dirt road over the bridge and the creek. Then I went past the Oleson store and the Mill to get to the church. That's only when we did exteriors — when we did interiors, we were at Paramount Studios inside a soundstage. Anything in the school was on a set, but anything outside was in Simi Valley. Around 30 years after the show, we all did an interview for NBC with Lester Holt. We were all out in Simi Valley, and walking around. They wanted to do a shot with me and Alison [Arngrim]. We're walking, and Lester has his microphone. We're just looking at Simi Valley and what it looks like now. I asked, "Where's the creek?" Alison looked at me, and she said, "What do you mean?" I said, "Well, every day when I came from the dressing room, I'd walk over the hill, over the bridge, and over a creek, into Walnut Grove." And she said, "Charlotte, that wasn't real!" I said, "What?? It wasn't real?" Michael built it; he had the creek made for the set. I want to touch upon a few of Miss Beadle's most iconic episodes. In "Blizzard," where the kids get caught in the storm, was it challenging to portray a more emotional side? Charlotte Stewart: No, it wasn't, it wasn't difficult at all. By that time, I had gotten to know the kids a lot, so it wasn't hard to imagine that something horrible had happened to the children and that it was my fault. Also, the scene with Willie was so sweet. That's the best scene I had with him, because I always just sent him to the corner! It was very moving for me. The next episode I want to mention is "Troublemaker," where Mrs. Oleson convinces the board to fire Miss Beadle. Katherine MacGregor is hilarious. Was it difficult keeping a straight face filming with her? Charlotte Stewart: Katherine was always so funny. I took her very seriously, which I had to as an actor. But Katherine was such a good actress, and she was nothing like Mrs. Oleson. She was a devout Buddhist, and I didn't know that until she and I went away together to a health spa for a weekend. We were sharing a cabin, and when we got there, she opened her suitcase and took out her altar, which she set up on the bureau. Katherine was quite a complex character, which made Harriet even better. "Here Come the Brides" is the iconic Miss Beadle episode. What sticks out to you the most about this episode? Charlotte Stewart: Michael [Landon] came to me with two photographs and asked, "Which of these men do you think Miss Beadle would marry?" He didn't know that Josh [Joshua Bryant portrayed Adam Simms] and I had gone to school together when I was 17, and Josh was, I think, 18. We went to the Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theater of California, and we were students there. We had known each other many, many years, so I picked Josh. We had such a good time working together. As it turned out, we got to work together for a few episodes, because the characters wind up having a child, and then move out of town. Do you have any favorite memories of working with Joshua Bryant [Adam Simms]? Charlotte Stewart: In the scene where we get married, the minister says, "You may kiss the bride." This was going to be the end of the episode, where they fade out on us kissing. I talked to Josh before we did the scene, and I said, "When he says, 'You may now kiss the bride,' don't stop kissing, even when Michael says, cut." So we started kissing and kissing. Michael goes, "Cut! Okay!" We're kissing and kissing, and Mike is going, "Nope, nope. Cut!" I thought that would be a funny outtake for them. So that was our joke. Miss Beadle was in forty-five episodes. Is there a particular scene you are most proud of? Charlotte Stewart: Yes, the one that comes to mind is when Miss Beadle is in her room [in "Troublemaker"], and Charles comes to tell her she's been fired. It was painful because I, in my mind, was imagining being fired from Little House. Victor French was directing, and he said, "Don't let Charles see you cry." So I had to do the scene steadfast and serious, not emotionally, but still let the audience see how hurt Miss Beadle was. I think that's why that scene worked so well, because I did what the director said. Michael Landon did it all — acting, writing, directing. What was it like working with him? Charlotte Stewart: It was the best job I ever had, and I adored Mike. I loved watching him work with the children — I just admired him so much. He was so much fun to be around. He was funny, always joking, and making it fun for everybody. It was so fair. We got to go home for dinner. On most television shows, you work until 10 o'clock, 10 or 11 at night, and you come in at 6 in the morning. Michael was a family man. He had family to get home to. The children had families to get home to. The union rules also said you couldn't work the children for very long. Almost all of my scenes were with the children, so my working experience with Little House was pretty great. Pivoting to the present, there have been quite a few Little House reunion events, including an event in June. How has it been to reconnect with your castmates? Charlotte Stewart: I just love it. I so look forward to it. I love seeing Alison [Arngrim]. We actually became friends on set because she was older than most of the kids. Of course, I was 20 years older than her, but she was mature. Since it's been 50 years, we've become very close friends. We do a lot of traveling together, and with Dean and most of the actors who were babies in the series, we're all best friends. The only time I get to see them is when we travel. Andrew Firriolo Is there anything about portraying Miss Beadle you would like to highlight? Charlotte Stewart: I based how I played Miss Beadle on my sister. I'm the youngest in my family, and my sister was nine years older. She had seven children. Miss Beadle handled the children in her classroom the same way my sister handled a room full of children — a baby in her arms, a 3-year-old, a 5-year-old, a 12-year-old, a 15-year-old in one room. I became my sister, who was very strict but very loving. She could be nursing a baby and also be telling one of the teenagers to pull it together, but she did it in a way that wasn't demeaning or anything. So I actually played my sister — that's who I based Miss Beadle on. How has life been recently? How are the Beadle bags? [Charlotte sews beautiful handmade bags featuring images from Little House ]. Charlotte Stewart: I'm eighty-four and I'm still here! I'm still doing my mile-and-a-half walk every day. I stay active. I sew every day. Right now, I've got 15 bags ready to go on the road with me, and that's what I do to relax, rather than sitting and watching television or reading a book. I do every stitch on my Beadle bags. Andrew Firriolo Finally, if you could sum up your experience on Little House in just a few sentences, what would you say? Charlotte Stewart: It was one of the most comfortable sets I've ever been on. The children were professional — they knew their lines, and they showed up on time. It was secure, and working with Michael Landon was just incredible. I had never met him before. I had worked on Bonanza a couple of times, but we never worked together. So the first time I met him was on Little House. Michael Landon was an actor who directed, and he was just so good. He was funny, he made life really fun, and we got to go home in time for dinner. Michael knew exactly what he was doing. Thank you, Charlotte! Read more about Charlotte's incredible career in her autobiography, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Keep up with Charlotte on her Facebook page!
San Francisco Chronicle
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Netflix reveals ‘Little House on the Prairie' revival cast
Netflix has cast a new Ingalls family for its upcoming ' Little House on the Prairie ' revival. 'Lessons in Chemistry' up-and-comer Alice Halsey has taken the lead role of Laura Ingalls, who also serves as a narrator, in the new project. The 10-year-old actor shared her excitement about the casting on Instagram last week, noting that she loves 'all of the Little House books' in Laura Ingalls Wilder's semi-autobiographical book series. Luke Bracey ('Holidate') and Crosby Fitzgerald ('Palm Royale') have been cast as parents Charles and Caroline Ingalls in the nostalgia-inducing adaptation, while Skywalker Hughes ('Joe Pickett') is set to play their eldest daughter, Mary. In addition to starring opposite Emma Roberts in the 2020 holiday rom-com, Bracey has been involved in the reboot of 'Point Break' (2015), the musical biopic 'Elvis' (2022) and the psychological thriller 'Mercy Road' (2023). Meanwhile, Fitzgerald has been recognized for her appearances on ABC sitcom 'Abbott Elementary'(2021-present) and the PBS biographical drama 'The First Lady' (2022). Hughes is best known for her recurring role on the Western crime series 'Joe Pickett' (2021-23) and the drama 'Ordinary Angels' (2024), which also starred Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson. The highly anticipated adaptation of the popular TV series was first announced by Netflix in January. Wilder's original book series was set primarily in the 1870s-90s, and the original show (1974-83) follows the Ingalls family as they travel from Wisconsin to Kansas to settle on the prairie. The streaming platform's new adaptation is helmed by showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine ('The Boys,' 'Vampire Diaries'). According to its tagline, the show will be 'part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West.' It's unclear if any of the original show's cast is set to make appearances in the upcoming project. Melissa Gilbert, who originated the role of Laura Ingalls, told People Magazine in February that it's 'a conversation to be had another day, or maybe not. 'My knee-jerk reaction is that I think they should create their own whole universe,' she continued, 'and maybe not try and cross things over too much or cross the streams as it were.'
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix casts its Ingalls family for 'Prairie' re-boot
May 3 (UPI) -- Hacksaw Ridge and Elvis alum Luke Bracy has signed on to play beloved patriarch Charles Ingalls in the upcoming Netflix re-boot of "Little House on the Prairie." Palm Royale actress Crosby Fitzgerald will play his wife Caroline and newcomers Skywalker Hughes and Alice Halsey will play their daughters Mary and Laura. "Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's iconic semi-autobiographical Little House books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier," said a synopsis from the streaming service. Rebecca Sonnenshine -- whose credits include The Boys and Vampire Diaries -- will serve as show-runner. Wilder's best-selling Little House books were previously adapted as a TV show that ran from 1974 through 1984. It starred Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson and Melissa Gilbert. No premiere date has been announced for the re-boot. Netflix's new Little House on the Prairie series has found its Laura Ingalls! We are so thrilled to announce that Alice Halsey will be playing the iconic role of Laura Ingalls. Please give her a warm welcome to the Little House family! @netflix Little House on the Prairie® (@LHPrairie) May 2, 2025
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Gilbert Issues Bold Response to Reboot Casting of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House on the Prairie star just sent a direct message to , the young actress cast as Laura Ingalls Wilder, in the upcoming Netflix reboot series. On May 2, Netflix announced the casting of child actress Halsey, 10, as Laura in the upcoming Little House on the Prairie reboot. She recently starred in Lessons in Chemistry alongside . 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Gilbert, 60, portrayed Laura on the original show from 1974 to 1983—and she reacted to the big news via social media shortly after the announcement. "And…here she is. Wishing them and @thealicehalsey all the luck in the world!!" Gilbert declared on Instagram. "Netflix's new Little House on the Prairie series has found its Laura Ingalls!" Related: Gilbert continued, "The Little House books endure to this day because so many people see themselves in Laura. She is a disruptor. Honest to a fault. Questions authority. And she's our window into this adventure." In the comments, Gilbert's followers shared their reactions to the major casting update, giving Halsey a warm welcome. One Instagram user wrote, "Awww she is so adorable and she will carry your legacy as our Laura Ingalls Wilder so perfectly. Can't wait to go back to this tv show who has been with me my all life." Another declared, "She's so cute," as someone else shared, "Welcome laura❤️." A different fan commented, "Congratulations! I love the TV Show but also love the books and would love to see an adaptation that uses more of the source material." Meanwhile, yet another Instagram follower wrote, "Saw a photo of her and instantly felt transported back to Walnut Grove and my memories of your early years on Little House. How exciting!" A release date for the Little House on the Prairie reboot has not yet been announced. Next:
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Four Seasons,' ‘Another Simple Favor,' ‘Black Bag,' and what to stream this weekend — plus a ‘Star Wars' Day bonus
Welcome to , your VIP guide to the best of award-worthy pop culture for the weekend ahead, curated by the Gold Derby team of experts. (May 2 - May 4) Cue up the Carole King, because you've got a friend in The Four Seasons. Adapted from the 1981 film of the same name, Netflix's newest comedy series hails from 30 Rock alumni Tina Fey, Tracy Wigfield, and Lang Fisher. It follows six longtime friends — three couples portrayed by Fey and Will Forte, Steve Carell and Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani — across four separate trips, one each season, over the course of a single year. Now, this isn't a fantasy series, so we're not sure how they're affording all these trips in this economy, but let's chalk it up to the magic of television. A bit less magical, however, is the relationship between Carell's Nick and Kenney-Silver's Anne, as their split (on the weekend of their 25th anniversary, no less!) kicks off the series. As the highly bingeable eight-episode season progresses, the changes to the group dynamic as a result of their impending divorce affect everyone in what is ultimately a humorous love letter to friendship. The Four Seasons is the awards contender to watch this weekend. More from GoldDerby The original ending of 'Smash' revealed, Bella Ramsey and Kit Harington reunite, and what to read this weekend: May 2, 2025 'Political violence is sadly more relevant now': 'Say Nothing' showrunner on the show's impact Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock reunite, 'Little House' reboot finds its Laura Ingalls, 'Thunderbolts' opens big, and more of today's top news stories Once you've worked your way through winter, spring, summer, and fall (not necessarily in that order), you might also want to check out: Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor: Great news! Hacks was wrong and Conan O'Brien isn't dead. He's just on Netflix receiving the high honor of this special's title. Filmed in late March at the Kennedy Center, the special features some of the biggest names in comedy paying tribute to one of the best to ever do it, including David Letterman, Tracy Morgan, Adam Sandler, Andy Richter, John Mulaney, Sarah Silverman, and Stephen Colbert, among others. Fittingly, Max Weinberg is the music director. The special streams Sunday on Netflix. The Walking Dead: Dead City: We're still firmly in the camp that this spin-off of the long-running franchise featuring Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) could have featured a title without an immediate echo, but no one at AMC cares what we think. And why should they? We haven't been making the decisions that keep the horror fans coming back for more. The Season 2 premiere airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and AMC+. Yes, Chef!: Sorry to disappoint, but this isn't a spin-off of FX's Emmy-winning comedy The Bear. No, this is a new cooking competition series hosted by Martha Stewart and José Andrés that follows 12 hot-headed chefs as they compete for $250,000. The catch is that they must prove they have the culinary skills and the ability to improve their poor behavior if they want to remain in the kitchen and in the running for becoming America's next top chef. The series premiere is now streaming on Peacock. Our top pick this week is the streaming debut of Black Bag, which is now on Peacock after a low-key theatrical run. Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh's latest is a sexy spy thriller starring Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender and Oscar winner Cate Blanchett as married intelligence agents. Fassbender plays George, who is tasked with rooting out a leaker of top-secret documents. One of the suspects is Kathryn (Blanchett). He invites all the suspects over for dinner, and interrogates them in a very subtle, conversational way. It's one of those thrillers where the action is in the dialogue, which comes from acclaimed screenwriter David Koepp, who previously worked with the prolific Soderbergh on his totally different film that was released two months before Black Bag, the experimental ghost story Presence. If you'd rather leave that bag closed, below are some other movies to stream or watch on video-on-demand. (Editor's note: Although we're not recommending the film, we want to note for the record that Rust is now available on VOD platforms like Prime Video, and profits from the film will go to the family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who tragically died after being accidentally shot during the initial production of the film in 2021): : Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively are back for more mind games and murder in the sequel to Paul Feig's well-regarded dark comedy thriller. This time, Emily (Lively) is out of prison and getting married in Italy, and she invites Stephanie (Kendrick) to the wedding, even though Stephanie is responsible for sending Emily to prison. What kind of revenge is Emily up to? Stephanie has to go and find out. The cast of this straight-to-Prime Video flick includes returning performers Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, and Bashir Salahuddin and new ones Michele Morrone, Allison Janney, and Elizabeth Perkins, who's taking over the role of Emily's mother played by Jean Smart in the first movie. : Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor stars in this globetrotting spy thriller whose claim to fame is that was shot on an iPhone. Neil Burger (Divergent) directs the film, which takes a guerilla-style, shaky-cam approach as Maya (Dynevor) races around the streets of New York, Cairo, Delhi, and Seoul looking for her father (Rhys Ifans), who has gotten himself — and her — involved in some shady business. Critics say there's style over substance, but there is style. Inheritance is now streaming on AMC+. : Sunday is Star Wars Day, aka 'May the 4th be with you,' so you may want to celebrate by watching a Star Wars movie. The one that's in the zeitgeist right now is Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, which is back in theaters for its 20th anniversary and putting up shockingly big box-office numbers. It would be fun to see it in a theater, but you don't have to; it continues to be available on Disney+ — as are all the other saga episodes, from A New Hope to The Rise of Skywalker. There's no shortage of ways to observe this most galactic of days. You could also revisit 2016's Rogue One now that its (excellent) prequel series Andor is back for Season 2. We'll also suggest the Disney+ documentary Music by John Williams — chronicling the careeer of the soundtrack maestro and a must-see for any fan of Star Wars, or movies in general. Meanwhile, there's no shortage of new Star Wars merch arriving in time for the celebration. The Lucasfilm licensing folks have put the Star Wars imprimatur on everything from body wash and beds to designer bags from Vera Bradley designer bags and designer duds from Her Universe, Homage, and Heroes and Villains. We've reviewed their wares and here are four of our favorites: : An eye-popping two-volume set collecting the sketches and concept art of Oscar-winning Lucasfilm designer Doug Chiang, who has overseen the visual language of Star Wars for nearly three decades, is an indispensable addition to the library of serious fans. : The brickmasters have teamed with Lucasfilm since the prequel trilogy and among the new sets released for May 4 is this eye-catching take on the classic title treatment that would look great on any shelf. : The perfect foot covering for fans, whether they're walking on the light side or the dark side. This box set features three different designs. Cakeworthy Chewbacca Flannel: Get your Wookiee on with this comfy shirt featuring everyone's fave furball. Courtesy of Disney Consumer Products Best of GoldDerby 'The Pitt' star Shawn Hatosy loves 'ER cowboy' Dr. Abbot as much as you do Everything to know about Ryan Coogler's 'The X-Files' reboot: Gillian Anderson finally weighs in 'I just wanted to make her feel seen': Imogen Faith Reid on portraying Natalia Grace in Hulu's 'Good American Family' Click here to read the full article.
