Susan Olsen Reveals Being Bullied at School Nearly Drove Her to Quit ‘The Brady Bunch’

Susan Olsen has revealed she contemplated leaving The Brady Bunch at one point.

In an interview with People, published on Monday, August 25, the former child star, 64, shared that being bullied at school made her reconsider her role in the sitcom.

“There were times I’d go to school and I’d get teased, and I think when I get home, I’m gonna tell dad, ‘Yes, I’m quitting. I don’t wanna do this show anymore,'” she told the outlet. “But by the time I’d get home, I’d always come back to my senses.”

Olsen, who starred as Cindy Brady — the youngest of the Brady children — for the entirety of the ABC series from 1969 to 1974, also revealed her father wanted her to leave the show after she had some scary interactions with fans.

“I had situations where I got mobbed by fans,” the actress recounted. “People would find out where I lived, and we’d be having dinner, and they’d be looking in the dining room window.”

“He thought the whole thing was too unnatural, and so, he’d tell me, ‘We’ll get you a horse and riding lessons at Foxfield [Riding School]. Just quit this show,'” she explained. “And I’m thinking, we can’t afford a horse, let alone Foxfield. Like yeah, that’ll last a year, and then I’ll have no horse and no TV shows.”

“The thought of leaving it… I told my dad when I was about 11, ‘Dad, do you think my life is unnatural now? Can you imagine if I have to watch The Brady Bunch on Friday nights and know that I’m not on it anymore?” Olsen, who had a close-knit bond with her fellow castmates, told People. “Think about how much that would mess me up.’ And he is like, ‘You’ve got a good point there.’”