Susan Olsen, the beloved child star of The Brady Bunch, has opened up about her decision to leave acting behind and pursue other passions. In an exclusive interview with ReMIND Magazine, Olsen revealed that her time in the spotlight was not as glamorous as it seemed, and that she had always had other dreams beyond acting.
Olsen, who played Cindy Brady on the iconic 1970s sitcom, initially intended to go to college but instead continued acting due to an opportunity at the University of Southern California (USC). However, it wasn't until she was 23 that she realized acting wasn't her true calling. "I hate acting. What am I doing? This is terrible," she recalled thinking after landing an acting job. "I called my teacher, I called my agent and said, 'I can't do this.' It wasn't my medium."
Instead, Olsen discovered her true passion lay in graphic design. "I do not know why I didn't go ahead and join the film school, because I must have known that I had an inkling for that," she mused. "And now I know that's really where I belong, and it's just weird to me that I didn't know it [then]."
Olsen's journey to finding her true calling was not without its twists and turns. She had initially dreamed of becoming a rock star, but her ambitions were met with resistance from her mother. "I think in my head I didn't even consider being a filmmaker because I knew I was going to horrify my mother by becoming a rock star. So that was my ulterior motive… So yeah, I was in bands and stuff when I was younger," she revealed.
Despite her initial struggles, Olsen has found success and fulfillment in her chosen career path. "I started out as a guitar player, but I really found that I was much more suited for bass," she explained. "And this was before bass became the token female position in the band. And you didn't see girls playing bass, but it felt so much more natural. The only band I was really in, I was kind of best friends with the drummer so it just all made sense."
Olsen's last appearance as Cindy Brady was in the 1990 sequel series The Bradys. Since then, she has made minor appearances in various shows as herself, with her most memorable stint being a two-episode arc of The Young and the Restless in 2010. Her most recent on-screen appearance was in the 2021 TV movie Blending Christmas, which included several cast members from the Brady Bunch franchise. Over the years, Olsen has pivoted more to radio and animal rights activism.
Olsen's story is a testament to the importance of following one's passions and not being afraid to change course. "I think it's important to listen to your inner voice and pursue your dreams, even if they seem unconventional," she advised. "Don't be afraid to take risks and explore different paths. You never know where you might end up."
In my opinion, Olsen's decision to leave acting behind and pursue graphic design is a fascinating one. It highlights the importance of self-discovery and the fact that our passions can evolve over time. What makes this particularly fascinating is the idea that our dreams can change and that we may not always know what we truly want until we explore different paths. From my perspective, Olsen's story serves as a reminder that it's never too late to pursue your passions and that the journey to finding your true calling can be just as rewarding as the destination.
