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50 years after first playing Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie, Alison Arngrim sits down with Weston Emery to look back on the role that made her one of television’s most unforgettable characters—and tell the incredible story of her life before, during, and after the show. In this episode, Alison reveals how she was cast as Nellie Oleson, what life was really like on the set of Little House on the Prairie, and what the legendary cast was like behind the scenes. She shares stories from growing up on one of the most beloved television shows of all time and reflects on the friendships, memories, and moments that have stayed with her five decades later. Alison also opens up about the sexual abuse she endured as a child, her difficult home life, and what she was secretly surviving away from the cameras. She shares her powerful perspective on overcoming abuse, moving forward after trauma, and how she ultimately used her story to help others. From her life before Little House on the Prairie to becoming the infamous Nellie Oleson and everything that came after, Alison shares the incredible story of her life—and reveals what the show, the cast, and Little House on the Prairie mean to her today, 50 years later.

If I had a remembrance book I would write about how I’ve been obsessed with the surprisingly brutal show, Little House On The Prairie. What you think is a wholesome historical show about a loving family is actually filled to the brim with dead dogs, children drowning, gold rush massacres, the plague, and blind kids being burned to death. Welcome to Channel Surfing. Chase Bridges examines the surprisingly high volume of tragedies depicted in Little House on the Prairie. By ranking various episodes on a disaster-focused tier list, the host explores the dark narrative choices behind this classic historical series and shares creative, albeit unusual, ideas for potential spin-offs.

The Little House on the Prairie alum, 62, revealed on Instagram on Thursday, July 9, that she recently discovered — after “a remarkable few weeks” — that she has three older brothers she previously did not know about from her birth mother’s side of the family. Gilbert, who was adopted at birth by Barbara Cowan (née Crane) and Paul Gilbert, wrote that she plans to detail the experience on Substack and shared an additional message from one of her newfound siblings. “For those who don’t know, I was adopted at birth. For which I will be eternally grateful. Decades ago, I found my birth father’s family. Including my three older half siblings. Those relationships were a bit fraught. Not very close and still full of secrets. Not what I’d hoped but ultimately an important part of my story and one for which I will always be grateful to them for,” Gilbert wrote. “A few weeks ago I connected, through an app with my fifth biological cousin on my birth mothers side.”