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Alison Arngrim: My Real Cry Made Them Freak Out
19 Jun
Summary
- Actress Alison Arngrim revealed one real cry on 'Little House' surprised cast.
- She often faked tears for Nellie Oleson, but one scene was genuine.
- Special effects like glycerin and cry sticks were used for fake tears.
Alison Arngrim, known for her role as Nellie Oleson in "Little House on the Prairie," recently discussed her on-screen crying techniques. Arngrim appeared on the That's Classic! podcast, sharing insights into her performance on the beloved series, which aired from 1974 to 1983.
She explained that while Nellie Oleson was known for frequent tears, Arngrim herself often employed "evil, fake cries." These were typically used for minor incidents, and she admitted she could stop crying the moment the cameras stopped rolling. The actress mentioned that glycerin or cry sticks were sometimes used to simulate tears when needed.
However, Arngrim highlighted a specific moment in season 6 when her tears were entirely genuine. This occurred during the episode "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not," when her character's love interest, Percival Dalton, decided to leave town. Arngrim stated this was a "super, duper real cry" that surprised everyone on set.
The actress recalled that her authentic emotional reaction during Percival's departure caught the cast and crew off guard. They were accustomed to her masterful fake crying, making her genuine tears for a deeply felt moment particularly impactful and memorable. Nellie Oleson eventually married Percival, and they later moved to New York.
