Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Reboot Star Opens Up About the Pressure of Playing Pa Ingalls [Exclusive]

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Melissa Sue Anderson, Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert (bottom), Michael Landon, Lindsay / Sidney Greenbush, (1974), 1974-83. ph: Ivan Nagy/TV Guide/©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection

Published Feb 12, 2026, 7:00 AM EST

At last, a return to the Little House on the Prairie may be close at hand. The Netflix-spearheaded remake of the classic western series adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's novels is due to arrive this year, with a brand-new cast embodying the Ingalls family for a new generation. Billed as a "reimagining" of the semi-autobiographical books, it's described by the streamer as "part family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West," centered on the bright young Laura Ingalls and her family as they face the trials of the frontier in the late 1800s. While anticipation is high for how these stories beloved by generations will be adapted over 50 years later, some viewers have also been trepidatious about that term "reimagining."

There has been a vocal fear that Netflix's plans for the series won't align with the spirit of the books or the original show that ran for nine seasons from 1974 through 1983. Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls back then, previously asserted that "there's room in the Little House universe for other interpretations," especially since the NBC series itself was already unafraid to use the author's world and stories to organically address issues relevant to 1970s and 80s America. Under Rebecca Sonnenshine, who previously worked on The Vampire Diaries and Archive 81 and, most recently, penned the screenplay for The Housemaid, there's a lot of pressure to get right such a beloved series that has been a part of so many childhoods, even if changes are made. One person who understands the gravity of taking on such a classic is none other than Pa Ingalls himself, Luke Bracey.

In a recent conversation with Collider's Maggie Lovitt for Season 2 of The Artful Dodger, Bracey was asked about his experience and the challenges of embodying the Ingalls patriarch, particularly given Little House's legacy. He's approached the role with reverence for who Pa is, both in the context of the books and as a generally good, beloved, hard-working family man:

"It's been a really humbling experience, just in terms of learning and understanding who he is as a character, who he is as a figure to so many people all over the world. Again, it's a privilege to play a good man. That's one thing I just adore about Pa is that he's a good man, and he wants the best for his family, and he wants the best for his community. That was just such a privilege to play someone who cares. Not everything goes right for them. A lot of things go wrong, actually. But a man with love in his heart and with fortitude, who gets knocked down and gets back up again, and, as I said, just wants the best for his family and the best for the people around him and the best for his community, and on a broader scope, as I said, it's a real privilege to play a character that is so close to people's heart. I just hope that people enjoy it."

Bracey Is Confident the 'Little House on the Prairie' Remake Understands the Assignment

While getting to embody Charles gave him a deeper appreciation for the man, Bracey feels that the same is true for the rest of the cast and crew. Joining him on the frontier is Alice Halsey as the fiery, strong-willed Laura, with Crosby Fitzgerald as her mother Caroline, Skywalker Hughes as her older sister Mary, and a supporting cast featuring Jocko Sims, Warren Christie, Wren Zhawenim Gotts, Meegwun Fairbrother, Alyssa Wapanatǎhk, and Xander Cole, among others. He believes the feeling is mutual among everyone when it comes to making a version of Little House that satisfies both new generations and returning viewers alike. All he wants is to ease fears and assure that this version comes from a place of real love for what Ingalls Wilder built and appreciation of the impact the stories have had.

"I, for one, know that everyone who was a part of making Little House on the Prairie had their heart in the exact right place, and all we want is for people to love it and to fall in love with it again, and to know that we understand the responsibility and the privilege that comes with playing these timeless characters that are a part of so many people's lives, and a part of so many of their hearts."

'The Artful Dodger' Season 2 Saw Bracey Continue a Different Beloved Story

Maia Mitchell and Luke Bracey in The Artful Dodger Season 2

Bracey is no stranger to having to capture the spirit of beloved works of literature. Season 2 marks his introduction to The Artful Dodger, which acts as an expansion of sorts of the Charles Dickens classic, Oliver Twist. The series' return after nearly three years catches up with the titular Dodger, Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), as he's about to meet his maker at the gallows, until barely slipping away from execution once more. He's now dragged back into the criminal underworld, kept apart from his beloved Lady Belle (Maia Mitchell) by the threat of the noose. Bracey further complicates matters as Inspector Boxer, a new romantic rival who is on a relentless pursuit of Dawkins. With some big changes, a wider scope, and new characters that give the show a much different feeling, Lovitt gave Season 2 a 9/10 in her review, saying that it "guarantees that viewers will remember it as one of the decade's best historical series."

Netflix's The Little House on the Prairie remake will arrive sometime this year. In the meantime, all episodes of The Artful Dodger Season 2 are now available to stream. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the return of the Ingalls family.