Showbiz

Brady Bunch star makes heartbreaking admission about difficult thing she ‘had to accept’ about role on TV show

Brady Bunch star makes heartbreaking admission about difficult thing she ‘had to accept’ about role on TV show

Susan Olsen has opened up about the one gripe she had with playing Cindy Brady on the beloved 70s sitcom The Brady Bunch.

Appearing on The Real Brady Bros podcast this week, where she revealed she was gravely injured while filming the pilot, the 63-year-old star said she didn’t appreciate playing a dumbed down character.

Chatting with former co-stars Barry Williams and Christopher Knight, who played her TV brothers, she looked back on a scene from the pilot episode that illustrated Cindy’s dense mind. 

In the episode, Cindy and sisters Marcia and Jan talk to their mom Carol ahead of her wedding. Carol says she feels ʙuттerflies, to which the youngest Brady replies, ‘Are you sleeping with your mouth open, mommy?’

‘That’s just how my career was and it was something I had to accept,’ Olsen said about her tendency to play dull roles.

Susan Olsen has opened up about the one gripe she had with playing Cindy Brady on the beloved 70s sitcom The Brady Bunch; pictured in 2019

Susan Olsen has opened up about the one gripe she had with playing Cindy Brady on the beloved 70s sitcom The Brady Bunch; pictured in 2019

Appearing on The Real Brady Bros podcast this week, where she revealed she was gravely injured while filming the pilot , the 63-year-old star said she didn't appreciate playing a dumbed down character; pictured in 1969

Appearing on The Real Brady Bros podcast this week, where she revealed she was gravely injured while filming the pilot , the 63-year-old star said she didn’t appreciate playing a dumbed down character; pictured in 1969

Williams, 70, weighed in: ‘Do you understand that you were the cutest person in the world? You’re just adorable.’

And 67-year-old Knight, 67, added that the former child star Susan had a ‘doll face.’

Read More M*A*S*H legend Patrick Adiarte ᴅᴇᴀᴅ at 82: Star of beloved comedy pᴀsses away after health battle article image

Williams also said that he and Knight were aware that Olsen was ‘a little bit uncomfortable with the nature’ of her character.

‘You’re so much smarter than the character and you’re so much edgier than your character. But here it is right there. You’re saying the most idiotic thing imaginable,’ he observed.

Susan’s 28-year-old son Mike has even noticed that she was pigeonholed into a particular type of part, she shared.

She once appeared in a Disney movie in which her character meets a British person and asks, ‘Why does he talk funny?’ Her on-screen siblings tells her he’s English, to which she replied, ‘What’s English?’

Recalling her son seeing the film, she shared: ‘And my son said, “So you always play the stupid child.” And I said, “Mike, you’re right. I did.” And he goes, “Wow. Do you think you had anything to do with that?” I’m like, “Well, I hope not!”‘

However, Olsen’s mom had a positive perspective, finding her daughter’s ditzy lines ‘cute.’

Olsen then quipped, ‘She doesn’t have a functioning brain, but she’s cute.’

'That's just how my career was and it was something I had to accept,' Olsen said about her tendency to play dull roles; the cast pictured in 1973

‘That’s just how my career was and it was something I had to accept,’ Olsen said about her tendency to play dull roles; the cast pictured in 1973

L-R: Former Brady Bunch co-stars Maureen McCormick, Eve Plumb, Susan Olsen, Mike Lookinland, Christopher Knight and Barry Williams in 2019

L-R: Former Brady Bunch co-stars Maureen McCormick, Eve Plumb, Susan Olsen, Mike Lookinland, Christopher Knight and Barry Williams in 2019

Elsewhere in the episode the television star described being left with a swollen face after lighting equipment fell directly onto her while working on the Brady Bunch pilot.

‘My eyes were black. I mean, I had two black eyes. My nose was swollen. My face was swollen,’ the actress said as she looked back at the show’s beginnings on the re-watch podcast.

The incident happened the day before the cast gathered to film the pilot episode in 1969. Susan, just seven-years-old at the time, had been getting her makeup done when she was struck. 

‘The saddest news is that we didn’t sue Paramount, because I would have made more off of that than the show,’ Olsen said candidly. 

Related Posts

Leggy Anne Hathaway looks effortlessly stylish in a baby blue maxi coat at Gigi Hadid’s 30th birthday bash

Leggy Anne Hathaway looks effortlessly stylish in a baby blue maxi coat at Gigi Hadid’s 30th birthday bash

Anne Hathaway was a vision in a baby blue maxi coat and white mini dress as she attended Gigi Hadid’s 30th birthday bash at Le Chalet in New…

Anthea Turner, 64, reveals the secret to her age-defying looks – and it’s not what you think

Anthea Turner, 64, reveals the secret to her age-defying looks – and it’s not what you think

Anthea Turner has revealed the secret to her age-defying looks in a brand new interview – but it’s not what you might expect.  The TV presenter, 64, looked…

Bella Hadid shows off her incredible figure in a slinky black jumpsuit at sister Gigi’s 30th birthday bash

Bella Hadid shows off her incredible figure in a slinky black jumpsuit at sister Gigi’s 30th birthday bash

Bella Hadid turned heads as she arrived at her sister Gigi’s 30th birthday bash at Le Chalet in New York City on Friday. The American model, 28, showed…

Newly-wed Jack Maynard and his heiress wife share a pᴀssionate smooch in latest snaps from their intimate London ceremony

Newly-wed Jack Maynard and his heiress wife share a pᴀssionate smooch in latest snaps from their intimate London ceremony

Jack Maynard and his wife Lily Mackie packed on the PDA as she took to Instagram on Friday to share more snaps from the couple’s wedding earlier this…

Mickey Rourke avoids Celebrity Big Brother final amid reports he is suing ITV over pay after actor was booted off the show following homophobic slurs

Mickey Rourke avoids Celebrity Big Brother final amid reports he is suing ITV over pay after actor was booted off the show following homophobic slurs

Mickey Rourke was nowhere to be seen on Friday evening as he avoided an appearance during the Celebrity Big Brother final.  The Hollywood star, 72, was removed from…

Liam Gallagher and Noel cause chaos as they ‘receive a noise complaint’ after reuniting for their first Oasis show in 16 years at surprise venue

Liam Gallagher and Noel cause chaos as they ‘receive a noise complaint’ after reuniting for their first Oasis show in 16 years at surprise venue

They were seen back together for the first time in almost 16 years on Thursday as they began preparation for their upcoming reunion tour. And the Gallagher brothers…