'Little House on the Prairie' star says child actors get 'dropped' after Hollywood fame fades

Sidney Greenbush believes many child actors face a harsh reality after their careers in the spotlight fade.

The former "Little House on the Prairie" star, who shared the role of Carrie Ingalls with her twin sister, Lindsay Greenbush, said she was fortunate to find fulfillment beyond Hollywood. She has a new children's book, "Seven Sisters: The Lantern of Humanity," and an eco-conscious online community, Greenbush Twins & Company.

Looking back on her career, Greenbush reflected on the challenges many young actors face — and why she believes having supportive parents made all the difference.

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The Greenbush twins are seen on the set of "Little House on the Prairie." (Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)

"The hardest transition for a child star isn't necessarily when they're working; it's the fallout afterward," she told Fox News Digital. "And I think that's really apparent in a lot of the stories you hear. In Hollywood, there's a saying that there's no such thing as bad press, meaning even if you do something bad, people are talking about you."

"And so, people go from being in the popular crowd, and everybody wants to know their opinion, to all of a sudden, the show ends, and they get dropped," she said.

"Seven Sisters – The Lantern of Humanity" by Sidney Greenbush is available now. (Greenbush Twins & Company)

"They get dropped by the network. They get dropped by the social circles. They try to get other jobs, but Hollywood sees them as stereotypical characters, and they don't break out of that. For child actors, you don't really understand why that happens, or you think you did something wrong — if you could just be better, funnier, more talented, taller or have blonde hair."

WATCH: FORMER ‘LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE’ CHILD STAR REFLECTS ON LIFE AFTER HOLLYWOOD

"It's really a struggle for them because those little self-doubt voices [play] in your head," Greenbush said.

Greenbush credits her decision to step away from Hollywood and pursue other passions with helping her avoid the pitfalls that have plagued many former child stars.

Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush are pictured as Carrie Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie." (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)

"After 'Little House' ended, I did a guest spot in a movie called 'Hambone and Hillie,'" she said. "Going through that whole experience of auditioning and being one of maybe 1,500 children, and then seeing them hire older actors to play younger, you feel like you're just trying to swim upstream. You don't know why you were popular, and now you're not."

Sidney Greenbush is the driving force of Greenbush Twins & Company, a lifestyle brand dedicated to mindful living, creativity and authentic connection through inspiring content, curated products and meaningful storytelling. (Shandra Fleming Photography)

"I remember when they were making the movie 'Return to Oz.' My sister made it to the final three girls who were selected," she recalled.

"They all did screen tests, and for the silliest of reasons, they chose another girl over her. Of course, we all know there can only be one choice in the end, but it's a lot of pressure for children. So I decided I was going to explore other things because sometimes you go to what they call 'cattle calls,' where there are so many people competing for the same role. The casting directors aren't always nice."

Sidney Greenbush and Lindsay Greenbush attend the 2024 PanCAN PurpleStride event at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, on April 27, 2024. (David Livingston/Getty Images)

Greenbush noted that while her father, Billy Green Bush, is an actor, her mother never pushed her or her sister to chase stardom.

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Actresses Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush, who jointly played Carrie Ingalls on "Little House on the Prairie," attend an event with their parents Billy Green Bush and Carole Kay Bush in Los Angeles, circa 1980. (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

"My mom didn't push us toward acting because she wanted it to be our choice if we wanted to do it," Greenbush said. "But then the opportunity came up, and she thought, 'We'll try it and see where it goes.' It led us to an eight-year career. It was never anything my parents planned. It just happened organically."

Greenbush and her sister were just 3 when they filmed the pilot for "Little House on the Prairie," the beloved family drama based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic books about a pioneer family on the American frontier.

Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush had turned 3 when they filmed the pilot episode of "Little House on the Prairie." (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)

Their path to the iconic series began almost by accident after a family friend overheard a casting call for twin girls and connected their father with the opportunity. After appearing in the television movie "Sunshine," director Joseph Sargent recommended the twins for "Little House on the Prairie."

The cast of "Little House on the Prairie" Season 7 includes Matthew Laborteaux as Albert Quinn Ingalls, Melissa Gilbert as Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder, Michael Landon as Charles Philip Ingalls, Dean Butler as Almanzo James Wilder, Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls Kendall, Linwood Boomer as Adam Kendall, Karen Grassle as Caroline Quiner Holbrook Ingalls and one of the Greenbush sisters as Carrie Ingalls. (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images)

Even as a child star, Greenbush said her mother made sure there was a clear line between Hollywood and family life. To protect the girls' privacy, she called them by different names than the ones they used on set.

Greenbush said her mother served as their fiercest advocate, keeping a close watch on the twins and never hesitating to speak up if she felt something wasn't safe.

Actresses Lindsay Greenbush and Sidney Greenbush pose for a portrait circa 1980. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

"Things for child actors have changed a lot over the years," she said. "We did have social workers on the set. But really, it fell to my mom to make sure we were dressed, ready to go and not grumpy."

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Lindsay Greenbush and Sidney Greenbush appear as Carrie and Alyssa Ingalls in the "The Godsister" episode of "Little House on the Prairie," which aired on Dec. 18, 1978. (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)

"She struggled in the early years because there were two of us. She couldn't be on set with one of us while watching the other. So, for the first couple of years, they hired a woman to help my mom. If my mom went to the set with my sister, the woman they hired stayed with me."

"My mom would speak out when she felt they were doing things that were dangerous or not in our best interest," she continued. "The 'Ma's Holiday' episode is a perfect example because everybody always asks about my sister being on the roof. The truth is she was fully harnessed and attached to the roof. If that hadn't been the case, my mother would never, ever, ever have allowed that to happen."

The cast of "Little House on the Prairie" are seen here filming an episode. (NBCU Photo Bank)

Greenbush has fond memories of bringing "Little House on the Prairie" to life. She recalled showrunner Michael Landon playing with her and her sister on set and Melissa Gilbert dressing them up for trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Sidney Greenbush spoke to Fox News Digital about how she befriended Melissa Gilbert (right) on the set of "Little House on the Prairie." (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)

Greenbush is excited to relive her childhood and see "Little House on the Prairie" find a new generation of fans. Netflix's reboot of the beloved series will premiere July 9, giving a new audience the chance to discover the stories that first captivated viewers decades ago.

Sidney Greenbush portrays Alyssa in the "The Godsister" episode of "Little House on the Prairie," which aired on Dec. 18, 1978. (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)

These days, Greenbush has found a new purpose beyond Hollywood. She said the morals and life lessons at the heart of "Little House on the Prairie" inspired her to write her own children's book while building an online community.

"In entertainment, when you lose your authenticity, people feel it immediately," Greenbush said.

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Sidney Greenbush's last credited role is 1983's "Hambone and Hillie." "Little House on the Prairie" ran for nine seasons, from 1974 to 1983. (Shandra Fleming Photography)

Today, Greenbush said parents play the biggest role in protecting child actors, starting with respecting their children's wishes.

"Number one, let it be their choice," Greenbush said. "If you see they want to do it, and they have the drive to do it, then let them choose to do it. But there's a lot that goes along with it besides acting classes and interviews. So anytime they say, 'This isn't for me. I don't want to do this anymore,' let them stop. Don't force them to do it."

Actresses Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush attend the sixth annual FILMEX Los Angeles International Film Exposition screening of "Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure" at the Plitt's Century Plaza Theatres in Century City, California, on March 26, 1977. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

"There's so much that goes along with acting," Greenbush said. "A lot of times, people crave being famous. Then, when they get there, they realize it's completely different from what they thought it would be. 

"And if you get to that point and think it's too much, it's OK to do what so many child actors did — and what we did — which is take a step back, pause for a moment and decide whether that's really the avenue you want to take going forward. There's no harm in taking a moment to navigate those waters."