Why Susan Olsen Hated Playing Cindy On ‘The Brady Bunch’

Susan Olsen spent years playing the character of Cindy Brady on the iconic television series “The Brady Bunch”. The beloved family sitcom ran from 1969-1974. Though she was one of the most famous children in America at the time, the now-58 year-old Olsen just opened up about why exactly she hated staring on the show.

Susan Olsen “Hated” Starring As Cindy Brady On “The Brady Bunch”

“I never thought I would say this because when I was younger I was very rebellious and I really hated the fact that I was in such a wholesome show with American values and family values,” Olsen said, according to Fox News. However, she went on to add that her feelings about the show have since changed.

“But guess what – now I’m so proud of that,” she continued.

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Now Olsen Loves Her Time On The Show

Olsen explained that while she did not enjoy playing Cindy Brady at the time, she feels the experience helped to make her into a better woman.

“I think that being an actress helped me to grow. I don’t really think that the show helped me to grow so much as people that watched the show learned to grow. People would ask me, ‘Don’t you wish that ‘The Brady Bunch’ was your real family?’ And I’m like no – because my family is just as good and they’re a little bit funnier, a little weirder, but I know so many people that literally say that the show saved their lives.”

“And you know, I had a great family life but for people – and other people that had a great family life loved it too– but there were people that didn’t have a great life and as children, they depended on the show. And it’s for them that I really feel responsible.”

Olsen said fans are often surprised to learn she wasn’t as wholesome in real life as her character Cindy. Who Olsen jokingly describes as not being the sharpest tool in the shed.

“I think people generally are happily surprised when they find out that my tastes were not quite so wholesome,” Olsen said. “You know, I was very into punk rock and rock music and I’m really outspoken. So I’m definitely not Cindy, but I don’t want to be the anti-Cindy because she was fairly nice.”

“She just wasn’t very bright,” she added with a laugh.

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Olsen Reunites With “Brady” Siblings For HGTV Show

What spurred Olsen’s recent reminiscing about her “Brady Bunch” days? She is fresh off an HGTV series where she reunited with her TV siblings to renovate the actual Brady house. Olsen said that reuniting with her onscreen family was not difficult. The bunch of actors always had a positive relationship with one another, even as children.

“I mean we were just such good kids. We were a lot like the characters and in fact, we didn’t argue as much as the characters because we didn’t have to share one bathroom with no toilet,” Olsen said. “That can make people cranky.”

It’s nice to see that Olsen and her “Brady Bunch” siblings seem to have such good heads on their shoulders. Especially given how so many other child stars turned out! We’re also glad that Olsen can see the positive in her once-in-lifetime experience now. Even if she couldn’t appreciate the opportunity as a child.