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Melissa Gilbert Wants To Bring Film Industry To Michigan

Melissa Gilbert is still very connected to Hollywood–she recently served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and took a turn on “Dancing With The Stars” in 2012–but she and...
Melissa Gilbert Wants To Bring Film Industry To Michigan
Written by Amanda Crum
  • Melissa Gilbert is still very connected to Hollywood–she recently served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and took a turn on “Dancing With The Stars” in 2012–but she and new husband Timothy Busfield have recently made a big move that made them feel far removed from the glamorous world of film.

    The newlyweds bought a home in Michigan, in a tiny town with a population of just 9,000. And while it may be a big change, Gilbert says there are positive things that come with it.

    “Here’s one of the things I noticed almost right away,” she said. “When you walk into a restaurant everybody doesn’t turn around to see who just came in. That’s an amazing difference. For the first few weeks it was a bit like living in an exhibition in “Jurassic Park” because they had never seen anything like us here. People would drive by really slow looking at the house. It felt like were the T-Rexes. It’s kind of evened out now.”

    The move doesn’t mean the couple have given up on their passion, however; Gilbert says they have at least one project in the works with her son Michael, and plans for more.

    “Our objective was to come to Michigan and create a film and television and theater industry here as well,” she said. “The state needs it. They have a great tax-incentive package for films and television. There’s an amazing talent pool here. We just bought our own camera and we’re going to start shooting stuff and create our own stuff. We’re shooting a short film with my son Michael in February. A Michigan-based story that Tim’s writing and directing that we’re starring in.”

    The former “Little House On The Prairie” actress announced her engagement to Busfield last January, and they wed in April. Gilbert went through a painful divorce in 2011 from actor Bruce Boxleitner, but said the split was hardest on their children.

    “It’s been hard on the kids and that’s been hard to watch but ultimately everyone’s going to be fine,” said Gilbert. “Everything takes time.”

    Image via YouTube

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