Melissa Gilbert And Alice Halsey Had A Sweet Moment On The Set Of Little House Reboot

"Little House on the Prairie" is officially back. In July 2026, streaming giant Netflix launched its new adaptation of the classic novel series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which were previously adapted into the beloved 1970s NBC show starring Michael Landon. Although the Netflix series is a new interpretation of the source material, rather than a reboot of the original show, comparisons between the new "Little House on the Prairie" cast and their '70s counterparts are unavoidable. However, if there's one OG star who doesn't seem at all interested in competing with the new generation, it's Melissa Gilbert, who not only gave the new Netflix adaptation her stamp of approval, but also shared a sweet moment with the young actor who was cast to take over her childhood role. 

In Netflix's take on "Little House on the Prairie," Laura Ingalls — the character based on the author of the original books — is played by child actor Alice Halsey, who previously had a prominent role on the long-running NBC soap opera "Days of Our Lives." And Gilbert, who portrayed Laura on the NBC version of "Little House," throughout its run from 1974 to 1983, quite literally welcomed this changing of the guard with open arms. This information comes courtesy of Halsey herself, who recalled the time Gilbert came to visit the set of the Netflix adaptation during a July 2026 interview with People. "I ran off and I gave her a big hug," Halsey proudly shared, admitting, "We didn't even know each other. I just saw her and I ran to her. I think she's a really nice person. She was just so supportive. So supportive. It just made me feel so welcomed into the 'Little House' world."

Netflix's adaptation of "Little House on the Prairie" may not technically be a reboot of the 1970s NBC series of the same, but the fact remains that that name carries with it a certain amount of weight — something the stars of the new show are well aware of. To that end, Alice Halsey, the new Laura Ingalls, also explained in her chat with People that she hopes to do right by not only her predecessor, Melissa Gilbert, but also the real-life Laura Ingalls Wilder. "She's been an icon across generations and I feel so honored that I get to play this character [...] [I] felt a lot of responsibility to Laura [...] to do it right," Halsey enthused. 

Warren Christie, who plays Mr. Edwards in Netflix's "Little House," similarly felt a bit of pressure to live up to late actor Victor French, who portrayed the fan-favorite character on NBC's version. "You know, myself, to get an opportunity to step into these boots is really special. And it was never lost on me [...] how special it was to be a part of this world," Christie, who notably grew up in a house full of "Little House" fans, shared on the "Kingdom Builder Podcast" in July 2026.

Conversely, the "Little House" reboot's Luke Bracey wasn't influenced by OG Charles "Pa" Ingalls Michael Landon, since he was "blissfully ignorant" of the original series. This allowed the actor to bypass some of that pressure, at least initially. Of course, Landon's legacy still loomed large. As Bracey acknowledged to the Associated Press in May 2026, "The intimidating factors come after making it, when I've told people what I've done, and I've been told how important it is to them."