‘Brady Bunch’ Star Eve Plumb Credits One Role for Saving Her From Child Star Curse
The child star curse is well known in Hollywood and often plagues young stars, as they continue on in the public eye. Many young people unfortunately fall into a trap of drugs, and other nefarious acts that ruin their careers and even end their lives. The good news is that some child stars manage to avoid this so-called curse and live happily and healthily after becoming famous. One such person is Eve Plumb, who famously played Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch.
Plumb said that after The Brady Bunch ended in 1974, she went right back to high school and resumed a semi-normal childhood. She explained, “It was a private school. I was a cheerleader, and I just did [the] best I could in school and then planned to go to Cal State Northridge for theater arts. … I went to a very small high school, and I think in Los Angeles it’s just sort of accepted [if you’re an actor], so I didn’t ever feel ostracized or pandered to in any way. But maybe I’m just unaware.”
Everett Collection
A few years later, Plumb wanted to continue acting but was worried about being typecast as Jan. When fans find a character they love, they tend to hold on to the persona and don’t want to see the celebrity do anything else which can also lead to the dreaded child star curse. Plumb was cast in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway in 1976 and credits the role of a teenage prostitute for saving her life and career.
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She shared, “What happened for me was very fortunate. I auditioned for it and tested for it back in the day. … And I got the role. That was the giant leap that sent me from being Jan Brady to being an adult actress. By that time, I had already been in high school for several years. I was already becoming an 18-year-old. I was already very nearly adult. … I was very excited to play something very different and very challenging.”
Remind She continued, “It was a really great opportunity. It was very popular. It did really well in the ratings. I haven’t faced a lot of typecasting. I’ve been fortunate enough to continue to be cast in different roles. Nobody has seemed to put me in a niche.”
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Currently, Plumb is 65 years old and continues to act. She also said that she is working on a line of home accessories called Plumb Goods and is a successful painter. She remains close to the surviving cast of The Brady Bunch as she reunited with them years ago for A Very Brady Renovation.
Favorite TV Families
December 2020
Who was your favorite TV family? We cover the decades, from the Cleavers, Waltons and Brady Bunch, to the Ewings and much more!
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