Former child actress Kyle Richards has asked the creators of Netflix's new adaptation of Little House on the Prairie for a role in the upcoming second season of the historical drama.
Richards, who played young Alicia Sanderson Edwards in the original 1970s television series, revealed she directly approached showrunners after watching all eight episodes of the reboot's debut season.
The actress shared her efforts to join the updated cast during an interview with Entertainment Weekly while promoting her current television project, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th. She explained that she would love to make an appearance on the new show and noted that she actively asked the production team for a chance to take part.
Reconnecting with the Prairie
Richards confirmed that she has not missed a single episode of the reboot's eight-part first season, which premiered on Netflix last July. She said watching the updated version moved her deeply and brought back strong feelings of nostalgia from her childhood.
She told her daughters that watching the series makes it impossible to avoid remembering past times on set. She highlighted that seeing the new actor portraying Mr. Edwards, who played her adoptive father in the original series, brought back vivid memories of her time on the show.
Childhood Memories on Set
Richards made her television debut in the original series at five years old, playing Alicia Sanderson Edwards, the adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. She appeared in 18 episodes of the drama and returned to take on a second, separate role in a single episode during the show's fifth season.
Reflecting on her early childhood experience, Richards recalled what it felt like to dress in 19th-century frontier wardrobe. She remembered using the tiny hook required to fasten her shoes with buckles, adding that watching the new production instantly revived those early production memories.
The Netflix Revival
Netflix launched its updated adaptation of Little House on the Prairie last July, portraying the tough realities faced by 19th-century American settlers seeking a new life on the frontier. The streaming platform has already put a second season into production.
The new series is adapted from the third book written by author Laura Ingalls Wilder. A new ensemble of actors has taken over the classic roles originally made famous by Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, and Melissa Gilbert.
Legacy of the Classic Series
The original Little House on the Prairie series aired on American television throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, becoming a classic family drama centered on pioneer life in the American West. The show followed the daily struggles, community bonds, and hardships of families settling in rural Minnesota during the late 19th century.
Michael Landon portrayed family patriarch Charles Ingalls, alongside Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls and Melissa Gilbert as young Laura Ingalls. The series ran for nine seasons and spawned several television films, remaining a staple of broadcast television syndication worldwide.
From Child Star to Reality Television
Before gaining widespread recognition on modern reality television, Richards established herself as a child actress in Hollywood during the late 1970s. In addition to her recurring role on Little House on the Prairie, she appeared in feature films such as John Carpenter's 1978 horror classic Halloween and television series including Fantasy Island.
With production on the second season of Netflix's Little House on the Prairie now underway, fans of the original franchise await news on whether showrunners will accommodate Richards' request for a cameo appearance.
