People online are amazed by a former TV star who has embraced aging gracefully. Even after facing issues with substance abuse and body image, she still shines with her natural beauty. Here’s a look at how she appears today, having overcome many challenges.
The actress is well-known for playing Marcia Brady on the ABC show “The Brady Bunch,” which aired from 1969 to 1974. Life after the show was difficult for her, but she has since made a strong comeback and looks better than ever.
While on the popular sitcom, the actress became a teen idol and won the hearts of millions across the country. When the Brady Kids ventured into music, her singing talent shone through and caught the eye of many producers.
After the show ended, she received a recording contract but chose to turn it down in favor of a more ordinary life. In a 2008 interview, she reflected on her choice, saying, “Actually, I’ve always regretted that. I think it would’ve been interesting to see where it would’ve gone. Could’ve, would’ve…”
Her time on “The Brady Bunch,” alongside Florence Henderson, was not easy behind the scenes. The actress shared that her role as Marcia stayed with her even after the show ended, and she faced personal struggles while playing the character.
“For most of my life, I have been followed by Marcia Brady. Imagine always being shadowed by a younger, prettier, more popular version of yourself. I played Marcia for five years. She was perfect. I was anything but. There was a lot happening behind my fake smile,” the former child star shared in an honest interview.
She faced challenges with drug addiction, including cocaine. During the Summer Spectacular event in September 2017, which supported the Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Prevention, she explained why this cause is so important to her.
“I struggled with drug addiction for about six or seven years, and it was awful,” she recalled. She also shared that by that time, she had been sober for 35 years and that her life had never been better.
She believes her partying lifestyle impacted her acting in some roles after “The Brady Bunch.” The actress admitted that she missed out on opportunities, sharing that there were times when she was under the influence, which became a serious problem.
“I’m sure everyone in the industry at the time knew that I was flaking out,” she said in a September 2018 interview. When the actress returned to Taft High for her senior year, she had a hard time concentrating on her studies.
Friends introduced her to white crosses—pills that helped her stay awake and reduced the anxiety she felt after leaving her role as a Brady. She also used them in an attempt to lose weight, always believing she was just a few pounds away from happiness.
The family woman shared that, as a good judge of character, she felt he was trustworthy from the moment they met, as if she could see into his soul. McCormick views their marriage as one of her greatest achievements.
Maureen McCormick’s journey through fame, personal struggles, and self-discovery is an inspiring example of resilience and growth. By accepting her imperfections and sharing her story, she continues to impact many lives, encouraging others to talk about their challenges.
Their Love Story Started with Hate Letters—See How This Interracial Couple is Winning Today
Actor Leslie Uggams has had an exciting career in both theater and film.
Even with a remarkable career spanning seven decades, the singer and actress from Harlem is best known for her role in the *Deadpool* series.
However, her marriage to White Australian Grahame Pratt in 1965 challenged expectations for interracial relationships, making her life story worthy of a movie.
In 1953, Leslie, a talented singer, recorded a song for MGM when she was just 10 years old. Her aunt, soprano Eloise Uggams, recommended that she attend the famous Julliard School of Music in New York and the Professional Children’s School of New York.
But her career didn’t stop after her musical success; in 1969, she hosted *The Leslie Uggams Show,* the first network variety show hosted by a Black person since *The Nat King Cole Show.*
However, Leslie got to know and fell in love with actor Grahame Pratt behind the scenes. During one of her famous tours in Australia, the pair reconnected in Sydney after first meeting as students at the Professional Children’s School in New York.
Leslie was aware of the challenges of dating a white man because she had dated one in her youth and her aunt had discouraged her from thinking about a future with him. Leslie shared with Ebony in 1967, “I remember the shock I felt once when I was dating a white boy.”
He sent me a color photo of himself. I showed it to my aunt. He was a young, attractive man with nice hair. I thought he was very good-looking. But my aunt lectured me after she saw the picture. “Well, I guess he’s alright,” she said, “but only on dates, huh, honey? When you’re ready to settle down, you’ll marry a nice [Black] fella, won’t you?”
Leslie said that after their lucky meeting, she kept visiting Grahame.
“At just 21 years old, it was surprising that I started to fall in love with him.”
It would be a full year before she saw him again after she left Australia.
Leslie was worried about how her family would react and what would happen if Grahame moved to the U.S. for her job, but despite her worries, they had fallen in love. When they had been engaged for five months, Grahame visited her in New York.
“I wanted to know if my family would truly accept Grahame and not just tolerate him, knowing their views on mixed marriages,” she said.
Leslie didn’t have to worry because Grahame was Australian.
“Many white Americans feel awkward about their situation, but he didn’t.” He got along well with my friends, so he easily fit in with them. And both the men and women liked him.
While living in New York, Leslie said she received hate mail because of their marriage, even though they didn’t face the same racial issues as many others in the country.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Leslie said about her marriage, “It wasn’t as difficult as I expected. I think it’s because Grahame wasn’t a white man in America.” Naturally, they did receive some negative mail.
Leslie shared, “I sometimes get anonymous letters about being married to a white man when I go on tour in the United States. I remember getting one, of all places, in Detroit.” It was addressed to “The Little Negro Entertainer.” Those letters were painful to read and often used that term.
Grahame took on the role of Leslie’s manager, and the couple had two daughters, Danielle in 1970 and Justice in 1976.
Leslie got the lead role in the miniseries Roots in 1977, a year after their second child was born. For that role, she was nominated for an Emmy for her character Kizzy.
Two years later, she played Lillian Rogers Parks in the miniseries Backstairs at the White House, earning another Emmy nomination for Best Actress.
In 1983, she won a Daytime Emmy Award for hosting the NBC game show Fantasy, and in 1996 she played Rose Keefer on All My Children.
Leslie has also made appearances on shows like Family Guy, I Spy, Hollywood Squares, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, and Magnum P.I.
After fifty-five years of marriage and a granddaughter named Cassidy, Leslie and Grahame are still happily together.
“We have a lot of fun together, but it’s not always sunshine and roses,” Leslie said about their happy marriage. “We enjoy being together.”
Their love has stood the test of time and defied expectations. They support each other because they are loyal to one another and have always helped each other.
Leave a Reply