Kristy McNichol Ruled The '70s Before Retiring From Acting - What She Looks Like Now
There are very few actors who get the bragging rights of having won an Emmy before they reached the legal driving age. At just 15, Kristy McNichol won her very first Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Buddy on the hit series, "Family." While she was too young to have worn any of the iconic '70s celeb outfits that defined the era or to be one of the celebs to shape the decade's jewelry trends, she was an instant style icon for everyday teens.
McNichol had so much raw talent that she went on to dominate showbiz for more than two decades. At the height of her career, the actor made the decision to walk away from the spotlight. Fans were left wondering what her career might have looked like had she stayed. For those who often think of her and want to know what she looks like today, a rare sighting has provided the ultimate answer.
Singer Carnie Wilson took to her Facebook to share a beaming selfie after running into McNichol. In the photo, McNichol is seen with the same exact smile she had when she snagged her first Emmy. Fans of McNichol flocked to Wilson's comments section, with one saying, "Back in the late 70's this 12yr old boy would cut out pictures of Kristy from Teen Beat magazine and plaster them all over my bedroom wall!" The photo made it clear she's still thriving but living life on her terms.
Kristy McNichol walked away from everything to save herself
It's hard to imagine anyone walking on a direct path to success in Hollywood turning right around and leaving it all behind. Kristy McNichol did exactly that. The actor hadn't even turned 40 yet when she made the decision to step away from everything Hollywood had to offer to save herself in 2001.
McNichol had long struggled with the fame and the relentless expectations that came with it. On top of this, she was working since the age of six – even sharing that she had struggled with severe emotional exhaustion while at the peak of her career in the '80s. In a 1989 People interview (via The Los Angeles Times), the actor said she was, "Nonstop crying. Nonstop anxiety. I was always shaking like a leaf. Freaking out, crying, confused."
Slowly, she made it clear she would not ignore any warning signs of a mental breakdown and decided to take time away from the spotlight to prioritize her mental health. What started as a temporary leave from her starring role in "Empty Nest" in 1992, which she told The Los Angeles Times in 1995 "was the hardest decision [she had] ever made," eventually turned into a permanent exit from Hollywood in 2001. After decades of nonstop work, McNichol realized she was ready to discover who she was outside of acting. She told People in 2014, "I left show business for a variety of reasons, but a big one was my interest in learning what else there is in life."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.