Actress Melissa Gilbert is facing social media criticism for a recent Instagram post that offered advice to parents of child stars, in the wake of the death of actress Daveigh Chase. The backlash intensified as some users pointed to the ongoing legal proceedings involving Gilbert's husband, Timothy Busfield.
Chase, known for her role in the horror film "The Ring," died on June 16 at age 35 from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with chronic polysubstance use also cited as a contributing factor by the LA County Medical Examiner. Her mother has stated that Chase's struggles with addiction may have begun after a 2016 motorcycle accident led to a prescription for strong painkillers.
Gilbert, 61, posted on Instagram on Monday, sharing her thoughts on the pressures faced by child actors and the role of parents. "Child stardom, in itself, is not a guarantee of dysfunction," she wrote. "However, when a parent or parents lose sight of who THEY are, of what their true responsibility is, and their lives revolve solely around their little star child, well, that’s where the trouble begins."
Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder in "The Little House on the Prairie," stated she had observed a "push or need to perform …for her parents" in Chase, whom she worked with briefly. She advised parents to ensure children want to be in the spotlight for the right reasons, to regularly consult accountants, and to ensure the child has a "thriving" life outside the industry with friends and responsibilities.
While many comments on Gilbert's Instagram post were supportive, some users expressed criticism. One commenter wrote, "Unless you have had constant contact with the family over the years and know exactly how things went, I'd suggest to clean in front your own door before judging others." Another user stated, "Using her story to speak about this, is not right!"
On the platform X, formerly Twitter, the criticism was more pointed, with several users bringing up the allegations against Gilbert's husband, Timothy Busfield. Busfield, 69, is currently fighting four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under age 13, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. Gilbert has publicly supported her husband, describing him as "my love, my rock, my partner in business and life" and stating he has "the strongest moral compass."
Busfield's legal team has sought to dismiss the indictment, alleging that prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence from the grand jury and acted with bias. Attorneys for Busfield also claimed that the accusers' children initially stated he did not touch them inappropriately, and that the parents coached their children after the children lost roles on a television show. The defense has also questioned the trustworthiness of the parents, suggesting the allegations were fabricated as revenge after their sons were replaced on the show.