‘Brady Bunch’ star Eve Plumb warns child actors about Hollywood pressure

Eve Plumb has a piece of advice for young Hollywood.

The “Brady Bunch” star, best known as America’s most memorable middle child Jan Brady, said a single rule helped her avoid the traps that have derailed countless child actors — and it started with refusing to go along with everything.

“I think that the power to say no is very valuable as an actor,” Plumb exclusively told Digital. “And as a person, we always talk about setting boundaries. And my parents always made sure that I had time off and that I did the right things. You don’t have to say yes to everything. And I am still that way today.”

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The “Happiness, Included: Jan Brady and Beyond” author was just 10 when she was cast on “The Brady Bunch,” a role that locked her into one of television’s most recognizable families and turned her into a pop culture fixture for generations.

But while the show projected wholesome family life, Plumb said her real-life foundation behind the scenes was what kept her grounded.

Her parents’ support was critical in an industry where pressure, exploitation and burnout are constant risks.

“I would hope for every child actor that they have good protective parents, like mine, who saved their money and kept them away from anything that seemed suspicious,” she said. “And also, to just know that once you’re famous you can’t go back. So be careful if you really want to choose it.”

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Despite a steady upbringing, Plumb said the transition out of child stardom wasn’t instant.

“It took me a long time to realize I wasn’t a cute kid anymore,” she said. “It probably happened in my late 20s, when I finally stopped getting everything I auditioned for. I had such confidence going along and moving through all of my roles, that it took a while for me to experience the disappointment of being an actor in Hollywood.”

“The Brady Bunch” cast members Susan Olsen, Mike Lookinland, Eve Plumb, Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick, Barry Williams, Ann B. Davis, Florence Henderson and Robert Reed pose on the stairs in Los Angeles in 1969. (CBS via Getty Images)

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In her new memoir, Plumb offers a rare, unfiltered look at both her professional longevity in Hollywood and personal struggles.

When Digital asked her why she decided to share her story now, she said the timing finally felt right.

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“I decided to do this now because over the years so many people have asked me to tell my stories in their book and I just decided to keep it to myself until all of a sudden one day I was like, ‘You know what, I’m ready,’” Plumb said.

But revisiting her past wasn’t all nostalgia.

“Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond” by Eve Plumb and Marcia Wilkie, features different stages of Plumb’s life and career. (Kensington / Citadel Press)

“And the things that were the most difficult to write about were the deaths. The death of my dogs, spoiler alert, dogs die. And, of course, all my family members,” she said. “It’s not like it was a Shakespeare play and all my family members died, but we lose family members, we lose dear friends. And you are never over grief; it just keeps changing. And it’ll hit you when you don’t even expect it.”

Eve Plumb, best known as Jan Brady, says learning to say no helped her avoid the pitfalls that have derailed many child actors in Hollywood. (Chia Messina)

From her start as a 6-year-old booking national commercials — including Barbie — Plumb quickly became a familiar face on television, landing roles on hit series like “Gunsmoke,” “Lassie” and “Here’s Lucy” before her breakout as Jan Brady on “The Brady Bunch.” After five seasons on the iconic sitcom, she pivoted to more dramatic work, starring in “Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway” and its sequel.

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She went on to build a steady career with appearances on fan favorites like “The Love Boat,” “Fantasy Island,” “Wonder Woman” and “The Facts of Life,” later adding credits on “Law & Order: SVU,” “Blue Bloods” and “The Path.” She also took the stage in New York and worked as a visual artist, with her work shown in galleries across the U.S. and Europe.

“Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond” is available now.