At 65, ‘The Brady Bunch’ Actress Eve Plumb Flaunts Gray Hair & Admits She Follows Her Mother’s Relationship Advice

May 10, 2023

Eve Plumb is an American actress that is best known for her role as Jan Brady on the popular television series "The Brady Bunch." Plumb is a southern California native who has been working in Hollywood since she was a child. Plumb is often remembered for delivering her famous line, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia." Portraying Jan Brady was a good experience for Plumb, but it did make it more difficult for her to get other roles in the future.

Despite her difficulty finding work at times, Plumb still went on to star in the leading role of the television film "Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway." She also appeared in the comedic films "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" and "Nowhere." In 2013, Plumb got to try something new when she had a supporting role in the thriller "Blue Ruin."

Although she was the only cast member not to return for the variety show "The Brady Bunch Hour," Plumb was involved with several other reunion specials for "The Brady Bunch." The star was not ready to sign a five-year contract, so she declined to appear on the show. However, she returned as Jan for the TV specials "The Brady Girls Get Married" and "A Very Brady Christmas."

Plumb is also a master of stage performance, along with film and television. She starred in Nora Ephron's stage productions of "Love, Loss, and What I Wore," "Same Time, Next Year," and made her New York stage debut in "Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage." 

These days Plumb is still working in show business and has shown off her interest in design with the show “Generation Renovation.” On top of that, Plumb has shared the advice she learned from her mother on how to navigate her relationships.

Plumb was born in Burbank, California, on April 29, 1958, to Flora June and Neely Ben Plumb. She has a brother and a sister named Flora and Ben. Plumb began acting in 1966 when she was just seven years old, and she first appeared in television commercials before moving on to TV shows. 

In 1967, Plum appeared on the television series "The Virginian," "Lassie," and "The Big Valley." She would continue to make frequent appearances on popular TV shows in the late 60s before starting work on "The Brady Bunch." 

The actress recalled how she began her career in show business at such a young age. Plumb told Closer Weekly, "A children's agent moved next door to me when I was a kid and I got a commercial, then I kept getting more. I shot TV pilots, appeared on 'The Big Valley,' then 'Lassie,' then 'The Brady Bunch' came."

Plumb started working on "The Brady Bunch" in 1969, and the show ran until 1974. However, being a child star wasn't always easy for her. "I had so much success as a child. But once you age out of being the cute kid, then what? If you're not ready for it, it can be very difficult," she shared with Closer. 

Fortunately, Plumb's parents were very supportive of her work and did their best to make sure she turned out okay. She explained, "My father ran my career and invested my money very well. My mother was with me on set every day. They never took a cent from me!"

Playing such an iconic character can sometimes restrict an actor's choices when it comes to future roles. "I'll always be Jan Brady to so many people. I can't escape it, but I can do other things. If it gets me in the door (for jobs), then fine! If you're surprised to learn I can do other things, then great," Plumb said. 

At times it felt like Plumb was letting other people down by not always being Jan Brady. "That's what's so disappointing to everybody — that I'm not her," she told The Washington Post. The star told a story about a fan who did not understand that she was not really Jan in real life. "I had a waitress say to me, 'Are you Jan Brady?' 'I played her on TV.' 'No, but are you her?' she insisted." 

The actress continued, "Things go in cycles. You have down times, up times, busy times, not-so-busy times. I'm having to fight against that stigma of being an ex-child star and, yes, I've reconciled to the fact that the Brady series is what gets me that attention and what deflects what I'm doing now. We all grow up, but not everyone wants us after we do. It's difficult because in our industry the people who cast shows either want a fresh face or established people."

Feeling misunderstood by the media can also negatively impact a person's career. Plumb said in her interview with The Washington Post:

"Don't get me wrong. The series was — and is — a wonderful thing. . . . Sometimes I am sensitive. You do get defensive. It can be tiring sometimes trying to answer the same questions all the time. It's easy to get defensive about it."

The star decided that she would find a way to live her life on her own terms, and she took some advice from a fellow actress that changed her outlook on life and her personal look as well. "Lisa Kudrow told me to go really dark red. Go all out," Plumb told The Washington Post in 2000. 

She continued, "I thought, `oh, yeesh'. . . Well, I went with red hair and realized I didn't get noticed as much. I could go out to a flea market or antique shop and open up and talk to strangers. We could have regular conversations and that was part of having a normal life that I really enjoyed." 

A desire for individuality is normal for anyone, but it is especially important for a person who spends all day pretending to be someone else. Finally, feeling free to go out into the world and experience life as herself, separate from Jan, truly made a difference in Plumb's life. 

In the end, Plumb had to admit that getting other acting roles was a serious challenge because she was so recognizable. Yet, the actress is able to maintain a positive attitude and persevere. 

She said in the same interview: 

"I love TV, I want to be on TV. But Hollywood is all about getting in the door, and if I could figure out why I don't get more calls, hopefully I could do something to change that. But if I keep asking myself, 'why, why, why'. . . well, you can drive yourself insane trying to figure it out. So I can only be saying to myself, 'I'll keep trying.'"

Plumb has had a successful career, but acting isn't the only thing she loves. Plumb found lasting love in a second marriage in 1995 when she tied the knot with Ken Pace. They have been together for almost 30 years but don’t have any children. 

Plumb has said that the idea of children was never for her. “It’s just not something that appeals to me and I know that it’s a really really hard job and it’s not something I was willing to take on,” Plumb said on Sway’s Universe. "People have children because they think they should rather than really want them. So, the people that should have children are the ones that really want them,” she added. With a lifetime packed with work and high achievement, she said her career is what she has focused on the most.

“I think everyone who lives long enough has questions about roads taken or not, and choices made,” she said. “To say ‘if I’d only. . .’ is to drive yourself insane and not see the opportunities that are available now. My career is what it is, with good and bad parts, embarrassing parts and things to be proud of.”

Plumb opened up about her love for painting and how it differs from performing. "With acting, you have to wait for somebody to call you, then you have to wait to see if they like you, and a lot of times they don't. With painting, I love the control. I get to choose it all: When I do it, how it's presented. It's mine. By the time I put a painting on the wall, it's out of my hands. If people like it, fine; if they don't, that's fine, too," Plumb said, according to her page on IMDB.

One of Plumb's passions is renovating and designing homes. She and her husband star together on the HGTV show "Generation Renovation." Plumb said in a statement from HGTV, "You know me from TV and film, and, of course, as Jan Brady from 'The Brady Bunch.' Most people don't know that I love older homes, was on a design review board and have redone more than 10 homes of my own over the years." Plumb served on the design review board in Laguna Beach, California, beginning in 2010.

Beginning in 2019, Plumb and the other five remaining cast members of "The Brady Bunch" starred in a miniseries on HGTV called "A Very Brady Renovation." The show follows the progress of the renovation of the house in Studio City, California, that was used for the exterior shots in "The Brady Bunch." 

Plumb shared in her HGTV statement, "I loved working on the replication of the Brady Bunch house with my TV siblings in 'A Very Brady Renovation' and can't wait for viewers to see the work that Brett, Ken and I do in 'Generation Renovation.'" The home was purchased by the network in 2018 for $3.5 million. 

Ken Pace is a business and technology consultant, and he and Plumb have been married since 1995. The couple loves to renovate together, and according to the Los Angeles Times, as of 2010, they reside in Laguna Beach. 

In 2016, the Los Angeles Times reported that Plumb had sold the home she bought when she was 11 years old for $3.9 million. 

The star bought the home in 1969 for $55,000, and it is located in Malibu, California. The 1950s-style cottage sits at the south end of Escondido Beach and features "a cantilevered design with walls of floor-to-ceiling glass, a retractable 'moon roof' and a two-story garage wrapped in perforated metal."

Altogether the home has three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms in 3,500 square feet of space. The beautiful home entered the market in 2016 with plans for a modern-style residence designed by Meis Architects, designer of the former Staples Center. 

Plumb is still acting; in 2017, she had a guest appearance on the popular crime drama "Blue Bloods," and in 2020, she appeared as Joan Lawson in the television series "Bull." 

Plumb can still be seen fixing up houses with her husband on "Generation Renovation." Fans of hers can also see more of her on her social media pages. She is an active user of Instagram, where she has 39,000 followers. And while she may not be acting, she is still supporting Hollywood. Her most recent Instagram post shows the acting icon supporting Nicholas Cage with the caption:

“Another amazing @cinemasociety screening! This is a fast paced, fun movie. Check it out! #massivetalent #nickcagemovie #cinemasociety #eveplumb #iloveNY #movies.” 

The actress is also posting about the latest and greatest Plumb Goods. Plumb Goods is the star’s own home collection inspired by her very own taste and home decor style. Fans and home fanatics can find cute and colorful mugs, seasonal candles, coasters, tumblers, and much more. The actress makes her business special by giving back too. Plumb Goods donates 5% of its net profits to The Actors Fund. 

Plumb has certainly come a long way since she was just starting in the entertainment industry. She has been happily married for close to three decades. Back in 2011, she spoke with Natalie MacNeil about her relationship advice for others.

“I wasn't looking to get married, but I was looking to be in a relationship with someone who liked me equally,” Plumb explained. She said she “got lucky right out of the box” when she met her husband, but she never forgot the advice that her mother had taught her.

“Three months in is when you can tell if something’s gonna happen,” Plumb reiterated. Speaking about Pace, Plumb continued:

"He was very specific about not asking me to marry him until we’ve been together for a year because that's sort of a good cycle of getting to know someone and what their family's like and all of the holiday things that go on."

At 65, Plumb showed off her latest look in an Instagram photo in April 2023. She talked about Plumb Goods and even used the hashtag “#janbrady.” In the photo, the actress rocked short, gray hair — a stark contrast from what she used to look like on “The Brady Bunch.”

While this wasn’t the first time Plumb donned short hair, as she had back in 1996, it still captured fans’ attention. One person commented, “Looking wonderfully beautiful, Eve.” Another person said, “This is a great photo.” A third person commented, “Eve you look great.” Another person added, “Very pretty Eve❤️.” Another said, “Great smile Jan Brady.”

What do you think about how far Eve Plumb has come? What do you think about the advice she learned from her mother? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family, friends and any “The Brady Bunch” fans you know!