Netflix’s reboot of the “Little House on the Prairie” has found its new little Laura.
Melissa Gilbert, who starred as the original Laura Ingalls, took to Instagram on May 2 to help the streaming service share the casting news of the new show’s first cast member Alice Halsey.
Gilbert starred in the original version of the popular NBC show, which premiered in 1974 and still boasts a cult following in present day. The program, based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, inspired a generation of women and celebrated its 50th anniversary last year with dozens of fan events across America.
“And…here she is. Wising them and @thealicehalsey all the luck in the world!!” Gilbert captioned the heartfelt post. “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!”
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A post shared by Melissa E. Gilbert (@melissagilbertofficial)
How ‘Little House on the Prairie’ star Melissa Gilbert shaped a generation of women
Gilbert added in her caption that “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.”
Halsey is an alum of the Golden Globe-nominated miniseries “Lessons in Chemistry,” starring Brie Larson, and the long-running NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” which now airs on streaming service Peacock.
Gilbert spoke to USA TODAY about how “Little House” changed a generation of young people, in an interview published in April 2024.
“The thing that moves me the most is when people tell me the stories of how ‘Little House on the Prairie’ impacted their lives, what their childhoods were like, and why it was so important to them,” Gilbert told USA TODAY. “A lot of people have said – and I’m sure will continue to say to me – ‘Look, you were my escape from a bad childhood.’ … We taught a lot of lessons and provided a lot of escapist entertainment.”
Netflix ‘Little House’ will feature fresh take on beloved franchise
Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it would produce its own version of “Little House” based on Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books.
“The new ‘Little House on the Prairie’ is part family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West. The series will offer a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier,” a press release read about Netflix’s fresh take on the tried-and-true program.
Contributing: Laura Trujillo
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Little House on the Prairie’ casts new Laura, Melissa Gilbert shares
