When actors step into an iconic role, they often discover something unexpected about themselves. For Crosby Fitzgerald, starring as Caroline “Ma” Ingalls in Netflix’s 2026 adaptation of Little House on the Prairie became much more than a career milestone—it helped her make peace with a deeply personal family mystery.
In an exclusive interview with People, Fitzgerald shared that portraying the resilient pioneer mother gave her a new understanding of her late maternal grandmother, a woman she admits she struggled to understand while growing up. The emotional realization has become one of the most meaningful aspects of taking on her first major leading role.
Other actresses have also been stepping into notable new television roles this year. To know more, read our article The Young and the Restless Casts Cowboy Bebop Actress Jade Harlow as Mysterious Newcomer Marie Kirkland in Recurring Role.
Crosby Fitzgerald Says Caroline Ingalls Helped Her See Her Grandmother in a New Light
Fitzgerald, an American actress born in Georgia who is 36 years old as of 2026, became emotional while discussing the connection between Caroline Ingalls and her own family history.
Speaking about her late grandmother, she said:
“My maternal grandmother was a sort of stern Southern woman… She’s gone now. But I don’t think I understood her when she was alive and it always was a mystery to me.”
As Fitzgerald immersed herself in the character of Caroline, she began to see beyond the strict exterior that defined both women.
She continued:
“Caroline has actually helped me understand her, and women in general who go through so much, who go through these sort of silent battles. And they’re made to be more stern, they’re made to be strict maybe and misunderstood in that way, especially if they have daughters that they’re trying to protect.”
Reflecting on the experience, Fitzgerald explained that the role completely changed her perspective.
“It was really cool because I think maybe I would’ve been someone who wouldn’t understand Caroline and I got to sort of be like, ‘Okay, but people like her exist and why and what drives them?’ And it’s a lot of pain and it’s a lot of fear… But she instantly made sense to me, which my grandma my whole life didn’t make sense to me really. And so suddenly I was like, ‘Oh. Oh. I see.’”
Other celebrities have opened up recently about personal breakthroughs tied to family. To know more, read our article Dwayne Johnson Reveals the Three Words That Changed His Life After Divorce—And Why He Now Asks His Daughter for Help.
Why Crosby Fitzgerald Initially Thought She Was Wrong for Caroline Ingalls
Although she now feels deeply connected to Caroline, Fitzgerald admitted she wasn’t convinced she belonged in the role at first.
She described herself as “brash and loud,” believing she was very different from the “poised and elegant” Caroline readers knew from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books.
That changed once she began reading the scripts.
Rather than portraying Caroline as simply calm and composed, the scripts revealed a woman with remarkable resilience and grit—someone capable of fording rivers while pregnant, enduring a broken foot, confronting a wolf, and continuing to protect her family through unimaginable hardship. Those layers ultimately convinced Fitzgerald that Caroline’s quiet strength was far more complex than she had first imagined.
Who Is Crosby Fitzgerald?
Before landing Little House on the Prairie, Fitzgerald had built her résumé through supporting and guest roles but had never led a major television series.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Crosby Fitzgerald |
| Birthplace | Georgia, USA |
| Age (2026) | 36 |
| Education | Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, New York |
| Siblings | One of six children (two brothers and three sisters) |
| Previous credits | Palm Royale (Sylvia), Abbott Elementary, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox and others |
| Skills | Archery, shooting, swimming, skiing and other athletic disciplines |
| Height | 5’8″ |
A graduate of the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre—whose alumni include Robert Duvall and Gregory Peck—Fitzgerald previously spent only a few days on set for most projects, making Little House a dramatic shift in both responsibility and visibility.
A television farewell also made headlines recently for a very different, more bittersweet reason. To know more, read our article James Van Der Beek’s Final TV Appearance Leaves Fans Emotional: How Elle Became His Heartbreaking Posthumous Farewell.
Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie Brings a Fresh Vision to the Classic Story
Netflix’s 2026 series is a new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s semi-autobiographical books rather than a remake of the beloved 1974–1983 NBC television series starring Karen Grassle as Ma and Michael Landon as Pa.
Fitzgerald stars alongside Luke Bracey as Charles “Pa” Ingalls, Alice Halsey as Laura, and Skywalker Hughes as Mary.
The series follows the Ingalls family’s westward journey while embracing a grittier tone that explores family relationships, difficult frontier realities and broader historical perspectives, including those of the Osage Nation.
Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix, and the series has already been renewed for Season 2. Other beloved television universes have also been navigating major cast transitions this year. To know more, read our article Dutton Ranch Explains Rip Wheeler’s New Role and Who’s Filling the Gap in the Yellowstone Universe.
A Career-Defining Role for Crosby Fitzgerald
Beyond the emotional discoveries, Fitzgerald has described playing Caroline as a true gift.
She has spoken warmly about her on-screen partnership with Luke Bracey, revealing that the pair bonded quickly, created a shared playlist and approached Charles and Caroline’s relationship as a genuine team.
Close bonds between co-stars have made headlines elsewhere too, sometimes forged in unexpected circumstances. To know more, read our article Penélope Cruz Reveals Terrifying Halloween Flight With Salma Hayek: The Real-Life Plane Emergency That Bonded Them Forever.
To prepare for the role, Fitzgerald studied Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books alongside historical works including Prairie Fires and Frontier Women, while also drawing from her own life experiences.
The project also carries personal significance. Fitzgerald’s mother loved the original books, while her stepmother grew up watching the classic television adaptation, making this new chapter especially meaningful for her family.
Now adjusting to life as the lead of a globally streamed series, Fitzgerald says she is still processing the possibility of greater recognition. But if her performance as Caroline Ingalls has already achieved one thing, it is something far more personal: helping her finally understand the woman who had remained a mystery for most of her life.
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