Alison Arngrim Recalls ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Fans ‘Hating’ Her for Years

Alison Arngrim’s Little House on the Prairie character, Nellie Oleson — “hated” as she was — has stayed with the actress all these years.

During the Little House on the Prairie Final 50th Anniversary Reunion on Dec. 12, Arngrim reflected on portraying the show’s bully in her early years and how that role followed her through every step in her career and personal life.

Nellie was known for her mean remarks and mistreatment of just about everybody at school, including the Ingalls kids.

Arngrim’s experience with fame was drastically different from others on the show, she noted, since instead of fans approaching her with admiration, she was often met with anger directed at her character.

In fact, Arngrim revealed that she was once walking in a Christmas parade when “someone threw an orange soda at my face,” which made her realize that her character had really “hit some kind of nerve” with viewers.

“I didn’t have people going, ‘Oh, I have such a crush on you. I love you.’ It was, ‘I hate you. I hate you so much,'” she later added.

The moderator pointed out that the public’s hatred of Arngrim’s character showed that the actress clearly did a good job; however, the 63-year-old added that the close association between her and Nellie later affected her professional endeavors, as people still “hated [her] massively” even after the show ended in 1983.

Following her success on Little House on the Prairie, Arngrim tried to shift gears and play the “cute sexy girl” in 1980s films that “everyone would love,” such as a cheerleader, perhaps, she said.

“But no, they weren’t going to give Nellie Oleson that job, ever. I was very typecast,” Arngrim said, adding, “And people agreed I could act. I remember casting directors going, ‘Oh no, no, you’re fine. You’re very good every time,’ and I’m like, ‘Really? Then what’s the problem, guys?’ ”

“It was difficult,” she continued. “So many people go to show business [and] people love them, and here I had worked for years, and everyone hated me. So that was really weird.”

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Though Arngrim’s relationship with Nellie is clouded by those mixed reactions, she still feels a close connection to her character. Sometimes she views Nellie as her “evil” sister, she added.

“She’s like a body part. I often say she’s like my sister. She’s like my evil twin sister,” Arngrim said of Nellie. “She’s like another arm or a leg or an appendage. She’s not going anywhere. She’s just there.”