Arngrim appears in the second episode of Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’
Credit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty; Eric Zachanowich/Netflix
NEED TO KNOW
- Alison Arngrim made a surprise cameo as a character named Ida in the second episode of Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie
- “Ida is basically a crazy lady in the woods. Sort of a forest drifter with drifter friends,” the actress told Tudum in an interview published on Thursday, July 9
- Arngrim played Nellie Oleson in the original series based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books
Alison Arngrim returned to the story that started it all with a cameo in the Little House on the Prairie reboot.
The actress, 64, made her mark on the iconic ‘70s show as Nellie Oleson, Laura Ingalls’ mischievous classmate. But now, in Netflix’s adaptation — which premiered on Thursday, July 9 — she returns to the prairie as Ida, one of the women the Ingalls girls come across when they’re out in the woods looking for their friend John Edwards.
The women tell the girls that John is with them and that he will return soon. But as time passes and he has yet to surface, Laura panics and attempts to run away. Ida then grabs her, prompting Laura to bite her on the arm.
It’s a moment that’s easy to miss, but fans of the beloved show might be able to spot Arngrim’s return to the Little House universe.
Credit: Eric Zachanowich/Netflix
Arngrim was asked to make her cameo about two weeks before production was set to film her scene. “I got a phone call: ‘What are you doing in a week and a half? Could you come to Winnipeg? There’s this character, we want it to be you.’ ”
“Ida is basically a crazy lady in the woods. Sort of a forest drifter with drifter friends,” Arngrim told Tudum. “They’re hanging out in the woods, having their little dinner, a little campfire in the forest, and the two poor unsuspecting Ingalls girls wander in, and we’re like, ‘Hi, come hang out with us.’ I thought, ‘Oh, that’s creepy as all get‑out. That sounds right up my alley. I’ll be right over!’ ”
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Earlier this year, it was uncertain if fans would see familiar faces in Netflix’s revival. In February, Arngrim told ReMIND that none of the cast from the original had been asked to be a part of the new series yet, but she was still open to the idea.
“I have been joking for years that I’m finally old enough to play Mrs. Oleson, so call me,” she said.
Credit: NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Being on the set, Arngrim took notice of all the newness the revival brought to the Ingalls story. The most surprising for Arngrim was the costuming and makeup. In the original show, Arngrim said the cast was dressed in camisoles and bloomers. Meanwhile, she was dressed in “full costuming” for Ida.
“I was in heaven,” she said. “I love this stuff. I thought, ‘Oh, we’re going all out. This is fabulous.’ ”
“They proceeded to make me look like I took much less care of myself than I actually do,” Arngrim noted. “They painted my teeth and made them look horrible. They painted my nails to look disgusting, filthy, and diseased. All my beautiful nails, my beautiful teeth, my beautiful skin — out the window.”
She continued, “But it was the 1800s. People are out in the sun; there’s no sunblock, and this woman clearly is a hard case. She’s been drinking, living in the forest, and not hydrated. She’s rough.”
Reflecting on her time as the pot-stirring Nellie, Arngrim said she still has people coming up to her and recalling all the “terrible” things she did to Laura on the show.
“Apparently, I did it right,” she said. “The trick is, if you do it right, everyone will hate you; and if you really do it right, they’ll eventually love you. I was clearly the villain. I was awful. I was terrible to Laura and everyone.”
“And yet people talk about me as iconic and say they love Nellie. They can’t get enough,” she added.
Arngrim said she had been waiting for the new Nellie “for years,” and was excited when Netflix announced the character would be included in season 2 of the revival. She shared some words of advice for Willa Dunn, who will take on the role.
“Take it and run with it,” she said. “Enjoy yourself. As far as I know, it’s the most fun part to play ever. There’s enormous fun to be had.”
“If you do this correctly, there will be people who will hate you — and think the show is real,” Arngrim continued. “It’s like playing Hannibal Lecter. If you do it right, people will flip out. You need to take that in stride. You need a strong sense of self and a dark sense of humor. Even if the fans don’t separate fantasy and reality, you have to.”
Little House on the Prairie is now available to stream on Netflix.
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