Eleven-year-old Alice Halsey has become the main star of Netflix's new adaptation of "Little House on the Prairie", embodying the character of Laura Ingalls. The girl went through a large-scale open casting in 2025 to create an image of a heroine who is not ideal, but lively, brave, and contradictory, who asks uncomfortable questions and is not afraid to make mistakes.
From thousands of contenders to the center of a grand story
Alice got the role of Laura after an open casting announced in 2025. The creators needed a girl capable of conveying not only the character's outward spontaneity but also her inner strength.
Alice became the true center of the narrative. Her Laura is younger than her sister Mary (Skywalker Hughes), but it is through her emotions that the viewer experiences the story. The girls became friends on set, which helped to truthfully convey their rivalry and tenderness. The work required full commitment: the young actress had to film outdoors, interact with animals, and master historical sets. An important moment was meeting Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura in the classic 1970s series, who supported Alice and blessed her to create her own interpretation of the role. The new series retains the coziness of the books but adds a more modern perspective on the story of settling the West, including the theme of relations with indigenous peoples.
Upon receiving the role, Alice felt a great responsibility. She understood that Laura was already known to millions of readers, and in the classic 1970s series, Melissa Gilbert had glorified this image. The young actress shared that she wanted to preserve the recognizable traits of the character but simultaneously create her own version, not copy the previous performance.
Who is Laura as portrayed by Alice Halsey
The new Laura is not an ideal girl. She is brave and responsive, but also impulsive, jealous, and not always confident. She wants to prove that she is no worse than her older sister Mary, who seems calmer, more well-behaved, and proper. Alice plays this contradiction very naturally. In one scene, Laura fearlessly goes to explore an unfamiliar place, and in another, she gets offended, envious, or worries about not meeting adult expectations. The actress herself describes the character as strong and brave, but also complex. It is especially important for her to show that courage does not mean the absence of fear: Laura is afraid, doubts, and still keeps moving forward.
Laura (the second sister) is younger than Mary, played by Skywalker Hughes, but she is the main character of the series. The sisters' relationship is an important part of the story. Mary is more cautious and better follows the rules. Laura often acts on impulse and strives for freedom. Disputes and jealousy arise between the girls, but in dangerous situations, they protect each other. Alice shared that off-set, she and Skywalker became genuinely close and almost like real sisters. This trust helped them to convincingly portray both the tenderness and the conflicts between the characters.
First roles before "Little House on the Prairie"
Alice's career began long before Laura Ingalls. At the age of seven, she played Madelyn Zott, the daughter of Brie Larson's character, in the Apple TV+ miniseries "Lessons in Chemistry." This role was her notable screen debut. Later, the actress appeared in the series "Night Court," voiced characters in the Disney Junior animated series "Kindergarten: The Musical," and also played the role of Rachel Black in the long-running soap opera "Days of Our Lives." These projects gave her experience in drama, comedy, and voice acting. However, the role of Laura required a completely different level of responsibility: Alice was at the top of the cast list and had to spend a significant amount of filming time on set.
The first season tells the story of Charles and Caroline Ingalls' journey with their daughters Mary and Laura from Wisconsin to Kansas. The family travels by wagon, builds a new home, and faces illnesses, wolves, fires, and other dangers of 19th-century life. For the young actress, this meant working outdoors, interacting with horses and a dog, wearing historical costumes, and performing many physically active scenes. Alice had to not only deliver lines but also run through the prairie, ride in a wagon, and react convincingly to dangers created by the film crew. She also had to maintain the character's emotional arc throughout the season – from excitement about the journey to fear, disappointment, and gradual maturation.
What projects with Alice Halsey we can expect:
* "Little House on the Prairie" (Season 2): The main anticipated premiere. Netflix renewed the series even before the first season aired. In the continuation, the Ingalls family will move to Walnut Grove and the appearance of their arch-rival Nellie Oleson (Willa Dunn) – a rich and confident girl with whom Laura will have a real "prairie drama.".
* "Lessons in Chemistry" (Apple TV+): Alice's notable screen debut, where she played Madelyn, the daughter of Brie Larson's character.
* Other current and recent roles: Viewers can also see her in the series "Night Court," hear her in the animated musical "Kindergarten: The Musical" (Disney Junior), and appreciate her performance in the long-running soap opera "Days of Our Lives."
