But Nellie and Laura became best friends
Alison Arngrim played the original mean girl, Nellie Oleson, the arch-nemesis of good girl Laura Ingalls, portrayed by Melissa Gilbert. But behind the scenes, it was a different story! Alison and Melissa hit it off and became the best of friends.
When the cameras stopped rolling, they were like real sisters, sharing laughs and creating memories that went beyond the show.
Off-set, they were partners in crime, enjoying sleepovers at each other’s homes and pulling pranks on their unsuspecting co-stars. Who would have thought that the fierce rivalry on screen would spark such a fun and playful friendship off-screen?
The Fallout of grief in “My Ellen”
One of the most memorable episodes of Little House on the Prairie is titled “My Ellen,” which revolves around the tragic drowning of Ellen Taylor.
When Laura and Mary go skinny-dipping with their friend Ellen Taylor, they suddenly find themselves in a tricky situation. Some boys come by, prompting the girls to hide underwater until the coast is clear.
While Laura and Mary manage to resurface safely, Ellen tragically becomes trapped and drowns. The aftermath is heart-wrenching, as Ellen’s grief-stricken mother, in her sorrow, blames Laura for the tragedy.
During Ellen’s funeral, her mother is overwhelmed with sorrow and blames Laura for the tragedy, saying, “YOU did this!” This gut-wrenching accusation hits Laura hard, especially since she already feels guilty about what happened. What stands out, though, is how the adults around them react. Instead of stepping in to defend Laura, they only exchange worried glances and let her suffer alone in her pain.
