Anne Gillian went from being a Disney child star to an ’80s sitcom favorite and also portraying her own battle with cancer on screen.
Then, at the height of her career, she left Hollywood.
The actress, who won a Golden Globe Award for her role in the 1989 TV movie “Anne Gillian’s Story,” recently appeared on the podcast “Jaycee Dawn Varelas” and talked about quitting showbiz at the peak of her career.
“It’s been a while,” the 76-year-old said. “There was a reason why I quit this job. I gave birth to my only son when I was 42 years old, and I seriously thought about it.
“Maybe someone else will do this and it’s good for them,” she said of balancing motherhood and fame.
“I really like what they can do. For me, I recognize what I can’t do. I can’t do everything at the same time because I want to focus on what I have to do.
“I can do everything I want in my lifetime, the life the Good Lord has given me, but I can’t do everything at the same time. After all, if you try to do everything at the same time, you’re going to lose something because your focus is taken away from one thing.
“Then, at the age of 42, I decided that this child was likely to be my only son,” Gillian added.
Starting out as a child actress, Walt Disney himself gave her a stage name before starring in 1961’s Babes in Toyland.
Just a year later, she appeared in 1962’s Gypsy alongside Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell.
Gillian thrived in the public eye, appearing on the television series It’s a Living from 1980 to 1986. In 1985, at the age of 35, Gillian was diagnosed with cancer, but she fought and won.
In 1992, Gillian gave birth to Andrew Joseph Murcia, the Los Angeles Times reported. Gillian said on the podcast that she has no regrets about her decision to prioritize motherhood.
“I felt like I had a great career,” she explained. “When I left the industry, so to speak, it was after my son was born. I had to be there to put him to bed. But then he had to grow roots. He had to go to school. And I thought about this.
“I thought, ‘I don’t want to be 1,000 miles away when he gets booed. I don’t want to be 1,000 miles away when he wants to talk about something just awful that happened at school or something just great that happened at school.’
“I want to go there to see him receive his First Communion,” she said. “When he makes his first communion, I don’t want to be in front of a camera somewhere.
“So basically, I put down my dancing shoes, so to speak, and said, ‘No, no, this is the most important role I have to play right now, and that’s being a mom.’
“I think I made some mistakes along the way,” Gillian continued. “But I also learned so much, and along with my husband and God, I had the privilege of bringing life into the world and raising young people who are now international tax attorneys.
“He’s handsome. He’s witty. He’s got a brain like a steel trap, and he could have been an actor, and he’s much better at acting than I am, and he’s got a great voice. And I wouldn’t trade that for the world or any time I was gone.”
Over the years, Gillian has been selective about gigs that keep her away from her family. Her last appearance was in an episode of “Walker, Texas Ranger” in 2000.
“I love my industry,” Gillian told the magazine. “I loved what I did while I was in this industry. I loved what I did and I was grateful for it. I was really grateful…Looking at it now, I think it’s great.”
In 2021, Jillian spoke to FOX News Digital about how many people saw her as a sex symbol during her time on It’s a Living.
“Well, it didn’t bother me,” Jillian said at the time. “I thought it was because[the world]valued my appearance, and that was fine with me. When you look good, you feel good. And that’s how I felt.”
“I certainly don’t approve of some of the things that have happened over the years (in the industry),” she said.
“I support women who stand up for themselves. But if you ask me how I specifically felt about that title at the time, I have to be honest. And the truth is, I felt very honored that people liked the way I looked and that I was pleasing to their eyes. I was okay with that.”
Gillian also stated that her faith helped her settle in Hollywood.
“Some might say it’s not a normal childhood to be in the studio in front of the camera,” she said.
“That’s true. But from a young age, I was taught that it’s just pretend play. You’re just getting paid for it. And pretend play is a very childish thing that made me happy. I was never forced to do it. I did it because I loved it, and I think that made a difference.”
