Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson in "Little House on the Prairie," and co-star Dean Butler discuss how a controversial storyline involving a significant age gap between actors and characters would not be made today due to modern standards and the lack of intimacy coordinators at the time. They highlight the awkwardness of filming such scenes and the evolution of industry practices.
'Little House on the Prairie' star says controversial storyline 'would not happen today' due to age gap
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Alison Arngrim, who played Nellie Oleson in "Little House on the Prairie," and co-star Dean Butler discuss how a controversial storyline involving a significant age gap between actors and characters would not be made today due to modern standards and the lack of intimacy coordinators at the time. They highlight the awkwardness of filming such scenes and the evolution of industry practices.
Trending- 1 1974-1983: "Little House on the Prairie" aired.
- 2 1977: "Here Come the Brides" episode aired.
- 3 June 2024: Dean Butler spoke to Fox News Digital about his kiss with Melissa Gilbert.
- 4 Recently: Alison Arngrim spoke on the "Little House 50" podcast.
- Modern TV productions would not feature such age gaps between actors and characters.
- Intimacy coordinators are now standard practice on sets.
- Increased awareness and scrutiny of actor/character age differences in media.
What: Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler discuss a controversial age-gap storyline from "Little House on the Prairie" that would not be filmed today due to modern standards and the lack of intimacy coordinators.
When: Recently (on "Little House 50" podcast); 1977 (episode aired); June 2024 (Butler spoke to Fox News Digital); 1974-1983 (show aired).
Where: On the "Little House 50" podcast; in interviews with Fox News Digital.
Why: The storyline involved a significant age gap between the actors and their characters (15-year-old Arngrim playing 13, opposite 22-year-old Bob Marsic playing 16/17; 23-year-old Butler kissing 15-year-old Melissa Gilbert), which is now considered inappropriate and would face "blowback." Modern productions would use intimacy coordinators to manage such scenes.
How: Arngrim and Butler shared their experiences and perspectives on the podcast and in interviews, highlighting the awkwardness and the change in industry standards regarding age gaps and intimacy on set.