Susan Olsen is famously known as Cindy Brady from “The Brady Bunch.”
She stepped out of the Hollywood scene, became an acting teacher, and is a proud mother to her son, Michael.
The actress is now happily in love with comedian Chris Fonseca.
Susan Olsen is an actress that started out her career as a teen star on the hit series “The Brady Bunch,” where she played the role of the youngest of the Brady family, Cindy Brady.
Since the end of the hit series, Olsen has been scarce in the acting scene. She admitted that she was not in love with the idea of fame but loved to perform.
“Fame to me was silly. Just really, really ridiculous. It was like fool’s gold,” she reiterated. But Her dislike for fame did not push her completely away from acting; instead, she remained behind the scenes as an acting teacher.
From her experience as a teacher, Olsen said most of her students always express their want for fame, but as someone who knows its effects, the actress always reminds them that “Fame is a byproduct of good work.”
She is focused on producing good actors rather than famous ones, especially since she teaches children. Olsen grew up on television, so she’s not a stranger to the crushes and flings that develop among co-stars.
For instance, in the early stages of the first season of “The Brady Bunch,” she got to marry Bobby Brady, whom Mike Lookinland played.
The marriage was as innocent as it looked, and the two stayed happy for most of the season, sneaking in kisses in the dog house. The Brady dog was named Tiger.
But eventually, their onscreen marriage ended, and their way of divorcing was interesting. The cos-stars decided to do a reverse wedding.
They did everything the traditional marriage would require, but instead of kissing, they spit at each other, reversed all their vows, and walked down the aisle backward.
Just like that, Bobby and Cindy were divorced, and it was in a way that felt right for both of them. Years later, the two remained close friends, with Olsen even naming her son after him.
Susan Olsen Raised Son with Autism
Olsen’s son Michael named after her co-star Lookinland, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a type of autism, in 2004. She shares her son with her first husband, Mitch Markwell.
There is little information about the actress’ son, but the mother and son have a close relationship. Olsen also shared a few pictures of them on Instagram.
In one of their selfies together, she admitted to still getting the hang of taking a selfie but was proud to show off she and Michael hanging out in the kitchen.
In another photo, the mother and son were bonding over a guitar session and showing off one of their new addition to their collection.
The actress has successfully raised her son into an independent man and now gets to enjoy an empty nest and time with the love of her life.
Who Is Her Partner of 14 Years with Cerebral Palsy?
Olsen had a radio interview on On JET 1079! And spoke about her journey into acting. The actress said she had her first audition on “The Brady Brunch” when she was 17.
When asked how she managed to land her first audition, Olsen said she already felt like a pro actor because of her supportive parents, who were also into performative arts.
Most of her family events included so many performances that they filmed and turned into commercials or short movies.
During the interview, she also spoke about the first time she hung out with Chris Fonseca, a comedian, choreographer, and performer. She even joked that fans should come to see them fight each other.
However, the two do not only know each other as performers, but they have been life partners for more than two decades. Outside of showing off his talent on stage, Fonseca is also a teacher, something that he and Olsen both love to do.
Fonseca is an inspiring performer who did not let his diagnosis of cerebral palsy stop him from pursuing his dreams. Looking back at her first meeting with him, Olsen could not help speaking about it being filled with much fun and drinks.
She saw the comedian perform, and it was evident he loved what he did. Fonseca even confirmed, “I love being in front of people and getting them to laugh.”
He revealed that his love for performance started at a young age. Fonseca confessed that he’s much more comfortable performing on stage because it was where his love for the art began.
He loves that the platform gives him control of what he delivers to the audience, but once he’s off and real life kicks in, that is the part he does not enjoy the most.
After two failed marriages, Olsen found love in the bubbly Fonseca. The two have been happy together and clearly have the most fun together, whether that’s on stage or at home.
Despite not being back in Hollywood, Olsen has found a way to impart her love for performing to the upcoming generation and equipping them with the tools to manage fame and success as good actors.
