Netflix is breathing new life into a beloved book and TV series.
On July 9, the streaming service debuted a reboot of “Little House on the Prairie,” the 1970s TV series that was based on a series of nine books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
“Little House on the Prairie,” the third book in the series, inspired the name of the TV show.
Ingalls Wilder published the first book in the series, “Little House in the Big Woods,” in 1932. The entire series was inspired by her childhood growing up on the American frontier.
Netflix describes the reboot as “a transformed adaptation” that mixes “family drama” with an “epic survival tale” and an “origin story of the American West.”
As a new generation of viewers begins to follow the Ingalls family’s captivating story, we’re sharing more details on the actors who are stepping into the shoes of the original cast members.
Pa (Michael Landon and Luke Bracey)
In the original “Little House on the Prairie” TV series, Michael Landon played the role of Laura’s father, Charles Ingalls.
Affectionately called Pa, the character was known as a family man who wanted to seek a better life for his wife and daughters. Pa was a hardworking man, but he also found time for fun, and his fiddling skills were pretty impressive.
Throughout his acting career, Landon, who died in 1991, starred in several additional well-known roles as he appeared in “Bonanza” and “Highway to Heaven.”
In the reboot series, Luke Bracey steps into the role of Pa. Viewers may recognize the Australian actor from his roles in “Elvis,” “Hacksaw Ridge” and “Little Fires Everywhere.”
Bracey told Netflix’s Tudum he’d never read Ingalls Wilder’s books or watched the original TV series before becoming involved in the reboot.
“I found the audition quite difficult because I didn’t have any context of the tone of the show or what it was about,” he said. “I just took a stab in the dark.”
The TV series’ executive producer Joy Gorman Wettels told Tudum Bracey caught the casting team’s attention for a special reason.
“We were looking for someone who wasn’t only strapping and handsome and had that heart people expect from Michael Landon, but who also had a fresh perspective on what it meant to be a man in history,” she said. “Luke brought that.”
Ma (Karen Grassle and Crosby Fitzgerald)
“Little House on the Prairie” viewers will recall Laura’s mother, Caroline Ingalls (aka Ma), as being a loving and patient maternal figure. Alongside her husband, Ma played a pivotal role in shepherding her family to a new life in the West.
Karen Grassle originally played the role of Ma and nailed the balancing act of being strong, yet soft. The actor was also known for roles in “Not to Forget” and “Wyatt Earp.”
Crosby Fitzgerald is taking over for Grassle in the reboot series. The actor has appeared in “Crime 101,” “Palm Royale” and “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.”
While speaking with Tudum, Fitzgerald admitted that the role of Caroline Ingalls was “a little bit daunting.”
“It’s my biggest role ever,” she said. “Also, I’ve never had a love interest.”
Luckily, Bracey helped Fitzgerald feel comfortable in the big shoes she was filling.
“He just immediately came with such a big heart and (was) such a safe place,” she said.
Laura (Melissa Gilbert and Alice Halsey)
“Little House on the Prairie” made Melissa Gilbert a household name. The young actor took on the role of Laura, a young girl who’s balancing childhood with change as her family uproots their life. Pa often called Laura “Half-Pint,” a sweet nickname he used to refer to her short stature.
Throughout her career, Gilbert has remain closely tied to the TV series. She’s also appeared in several other projects, including “Batman: The Animated Series,” “The Miracle Worker” and “Switched at Birth.”
In the reboot, Alice Halsey tries her hand at portraying the iconic character. In an interview with Tudum, the young actor says Laura “inspires” her.
“She’s very sure of herself. She’s very confident. And I think that benefits her throughout her entire story,” she said.
Viewers may have seen Halsey in “Lessons in Chemistry” and “Days of Our Lives” previously.
Rebecca Sonnenshine, the creator of the first season of the reboot, told Tudum that Halsey stood out while the team was casting the role of Laura.
“There’s a boldness about her, a forthrightness, a natural curiosity that comes across in her performance and in her personality that really captures who Laura was,” she said.
Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson and Skywalker Hughes)
Melissa Sue Anderson played the role of Mary, Laura’s older sister, in the original “Little House on the Prairie” TV series.
Quiet and studious, Mary was close to Laura, despite being utterly different from her sister. For this reason, they often clashed. One of the character’s most memorable storylines occurred in the original series when Mary went blind.
In addition to appearing in the iconic series, Anderson was also known for her roles in “Happy Birthday to Me” and “Midnight Offerings.”
Now, Skywalker Hughes is playing the role of Mary in the reboot series. In an interview with Tudum, the young actor said she was thrilled to portray a character she already knew quite well.
“I grew up with the books on my bedside table since I was itsy-bitsy, and I would always get my mom to read them to me!” she said.
Viewers may have seen the young actor in “I, Object” and “Joe PIckett.”
