Little House on the Prairie’s Nellie Oleson actress Alison Arngrim reprised her connection to the show in the Netflix reboot, played a completely different role
The new cast of Little House on the Prairie on Netflix (Image: Netflix)
A Little House on the Prairie star was delighted to make a cameo appearance in Netflix’s reimagined adaptation of the cherished family series.
In an intriguing turn, Alison Arngrim reconnected with the show decades after her memorable performance as Nellie Oleson established her as an unforgettable villain in the original production. This time, she’s taking on an entirely new character – an enigmatic woman named Ida who lives in the forest and lures the Ingalls girls toward potential danger. Arngrim, now 64, characterized her latest Netflix role as “basically a crazy lady in the woods. Sort of a forest drifter with drifter friends.”
Remarkably, she received just two weeks’ notice before filming, revealing, “I got a phone call: ‘What are you doing in a week and a half? Could you come to Winnipeg? There’s this character, we want it to be you.’ It was very fast – maybe two weeks’ notice.” This comes as Netflix axed a beloved show.
Despite her limited preparation time, viewers were excited to see her featured in the Netflix revival and rushed to X to share their responses, with one writing: “Omg. I just watched that scene in the Little House on the Prairie reboot and I kept thinking the creepy woman looked familiar… Way to go, Alison Arngrim aka Nellie Oleson!”
Another observed, “What a thrill to see Alison (aka Nellie Oleson!) in the new version of Little House on the Prairie on @netflix, much darker than the original,” reports the Express.
Alison Arngrim (right) returns to Little House on the Prairie (Image: NETFLIX)
A new Nellie Oleson has been confirmed for Season 2 of the Netflix reboot, and Arngrim discussed what makes the character such a memorable antagonist, explaining, “Apparently, I did it right. The trick is, if you do it right, everyone will hate you; and if you really do it right, they’ll eventually love you.”
“I was clearly the villain. I was awful. I was terrible to Laura and everyone – think of the bunny episode where I make everybody miserable. And yet people talk about me as iconic and say they love Nellie. They can’t get enough,” she continued.
She played Nellie on the NBC series from 1974 to 1982, rising to fame as a child star. She originally tried out for the role of Laura Ingalls, and then Mary Ingalls, but was eventually cast as the antagonist instead.
Nellie Oleson in the original NBC series (Image: NBC)
Arngrim continued playing the character for seven seasons, with her portrayal becoming a cultural reference point and definitive representation of the spoiled “bad girl” during the 1970s.
Reflecting on her career, she shared, “The weirdest part of child stardom is years later. It’s weird enough to be famous at 12, 13, 14, having strangers talk to you in the street like they know you. But years later, you’re 30, 40, 50, 64, and complete strangers are still coming up to you in the supermarket to discuss what you did to Laura at 12. That’s weird.”