By james art 
Melissa Gilbert left Hollywood in 2013. and she hasn’t looked back since.
The Little House on the Prairie alum, 60, tells Page Six in an exclusive interview that she left Los Angeles for New York because she’s “so anti-aging.”
“I just didn’t feel like it was a safe place to grow old. It’s so anti-aging, which is one of my least favorite expressions in the world,” she says. “Anti-aging means dead.”
Gilbert explains that while living in California, she felt compelled to conform and “not age and stay a size 2 or 4 or whatever [she] was at that time.”
However, after moving to different countries, she says her mentality about aging immediately changed.
“I went from ‘Oh my God, I better not get old!’ to ‘Oh my God, I’m so glad I’m older!'” she says. “I love the age I’m at right now. The sixties were the most amazing year, just to look back at all the things I’ve done and know that I’ve earned my point, I have value, I’m wise.
“I’ve done so much and continue to do so and it’s not over by any stretch of the imagination.”
Although the actress is now happily settled in Manhattan’s Upper West Side with husband Timothy Busfield, she still has a lot of love for LA.
“I didn’t realize the depth of love I have for my hometown until the wildfires,” she points out, referring to the Pacific Palides fire that started on January 7, 2025. “The amount of people I know who have lost everything, not movie and TV stars.
“It’s devastating and I really love Los Angeles so much. It just wasn’t the right place for me anymore, but it will always be my hometown.”
As for her career, the “Dancing With The Stars” alum is set to star alongside “Mad Men” star Mark Moses in the off-Broadway play Still.
The drama follows a couple who reunite after 30 years to see “if they can rekindle that relationship now, despite the fact that they are political, polar opposites.”
The “Prairie Tale” author admits that she drew inspiration for her role from her real life, as she had different politics than her ex-husbands Bo Brinkman (1988-1994) and Bruce Boxleitner (1995-2011).
“It really became unsustainable, and it was before 2016 that things got even more heated,” she said, referring to President Trump’s first term.
“I will say that both times when I was single again, there was a weight that was lifted and a peace that filled my home because I didn’t have to hold back my opinion or start an argument because I disagreed. “
Meanwhile, Gilbert has a busy schedule with a role on Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart and Modern Prairie, a clothing and decor company aimed at older women.
“Still” begins performances on February 6, 2025.