Melissa Gilbert, 61, opened up about her experience auditioning for the iconic role of Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, which ran from 1974 to 1983. Appearing on the Hey Dude... The 90s Called! podcast, Gilbert shared how she didn't approach her audition like other young actresses did.

Gilbert recalled being rejected for a role in the remake of A Miracle on 34th Street, a part she really wanted. However, her father's words of encouragement helped her to stay positive. "I was really sad, and I remember my dad... I was sitting in his tool shop, and he said to me, 'Listen, just because you didn't get this, it's okay. It just means something better is gonna come along,'" she shared.

Two weeks later, Gilbert auditioned for Little House on the Prairie, an audition process that was competitive overall. Gilbert remembered it as "one of those 'Come one, come all,' type of things." Her mother was smart about the audition process, not primping or coaching her. Instead, she told Gilbert to listen to whoever she was acting across from.

Gilbert's audition uniform consisted of overalls, a flannel shirt, and tennis shoes, with whatever dirt or food was on her face at the time left untouched. Her hair was thrown into pigtails, and she would sit on the floor and do her homework until they called her in. This unconventional approach worked, as Gilbert stood out among the other girls who were primped and dressed up for the audition.

Melissa Gilbert Found Out She Landed the Role from Michael Landon's Daughter

Gilbert found out she landed the part in an unconventional way - from Michael Landon's daughter, Leslie. Leslie told Gilbert at school that her dad said she was going to be Half Pint. This news was confirmed at a family dinner, where Michael Landon announced they had found their Laura.

Gilbert was thrilled and immediately wanted to tell her mom, but there were no cell phones at the time. She ran to the office to call her mom, who didn't know the news yet. Leslie got in trouble for spilling the beans, but this incident marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Gilbert and Leslie.

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