Donna Mills Took 18-Year Hiatus From Acting To Be Single Mom At 54 & Couple Up With 'M*A*S*H' Star

Oct 24, 2022

Donna Mills is a Hollywood icon. The actress’s impressive career spans over five decades. Her television career started in the 60s. The rising star appeared in several hit series such as "The Secret Storm" and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing." In 1967, Mills made her film debut in "The Incident," in which she starred alongside Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, Ed McMahon, and Thelma Ritter.

For decades, the rising star was typecast as the "damsel in distress." However, her longing to break away from this led her to the most memorable role of her career. Now, the award-winning actress is best known for her role as Abby Cunningham on the prime-time soap opera "Knots Landing.”

Mills starred in the series from 1980 to 1989. Mills won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess three times for her stunning portrayal of the cunning and manipulative Cunningham. Mills was also named one of the "5 Prime Time Soap Opera Villains We Love To Hate" by Everythingzoomer. 

Mills continued to star in television films and movies following her breakout role. After leaving “Knots Landing,” she concentrated more on film acting, with parts in television movies “In My Daughter's Name” and “My Name Is Kate.” The Chicago native has 102 acting credits to her name and a net worth of about $9 million.

However, Mills left Hollywood at the height of her career because she felt like something was missing. In 1994, Mills took an 18-year acting hiatus to focus on something she had been longing to do her whole life – become a mother. 

Mills had spent most of her life focused on her career, but by the time she reached her 50s, she had a revelation. In an interview with People, Mills explained how her life didn't feel complete at the time, which is what led her to consider adopting a child. 

"I was very concentrated on my career, but at a certain point, I realized there was something missing — it was a child," she said. "So I went after it. I adopted her when she was four days old." 

Mills added that at 54, many thought she was too old to be a mother to an infant child and feared that she wouldn’t have the energy to enter motherhood in her 50s. However, the Daytime Emmy-award-winning actress felt that her age was only a number. 

"By that time, I was 54 and people said, 'You're going to be so old (to) have a little toddler running around.' I never felt that," she recalled. "I never felt older than the other mothers who were probably in their 20s."

Mills told People she enjoyed being a mother later in her life so much that she would encourage other women to do the same, especially women who want to have both a successful career and a family. 

"If you want to give to your career, I say having a child later in life is better than having a child early," she told the outlet.

After adopting her daughter, Mills decided that her career would have to wait – at least temporarily.

Admitting that motherhood was a full-time job for her, Mills said she became a mother for a reason and was not going to miss raising her child. 

"I took off 18 years. I didn't work," she told People. "Well, the first couple of years, I did work. I did some movies for television and stuff like that, because I could take her wherever I went. But then when she started school, I wasn't going to go out of town for two months at a time. And I didn't become a mother to give her to a nanny."

Although Chloe is 27 now, the mother-daughter duo still has a close-knit relationship. Mills told the publication that she and her daughter text constantly throughout the day and even make time, once a week, to see each other. 

Meanwhile, Chloe, who has grown into a radiant young woman, is a model and social media influencer with more than 16,700 followers on Instagram. In July 2022, she accompanied her mother on the red carpet for the premiere of her film "Nope," directed by Jordan Peele and co-starring Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, and Steven Yuen. Mills donned a classic white pantsuit while her daughter looked stunning in an emerald green satin dress. Mills later posted photos of her and her daughter at the event on Instagram, with the caption:

“A night I would never say NOPE to! Thank you London for the warm welcome and thank you to @jordanpeele for your incredible work and including me in your masterpiece @nopemovie… Oh to and my baby girl @chloenicolemills for being my date.”

During her 18-year hiatus from acting, Mills not only embraced motherhood but also found love. The television star began dating versatile Hollywood actor and producer nine years her junior Larry Gilman in 2001. Gilman is known for his participation in "Final Destination," "Cool Runnings," and "M*A*S*H." According to Sportskeeda, The New York native also works as a communications consultant with CommCore Inc. Besides television and movies, he has also performed and directed productions in New York and Los Angeles, as well as appeared on Broadway, off Broadway and regional theater.

Although they never wed, the couple has remained deeply in love. In an interview with Closer, Mills shared a glimpse of her and Gilman's love story by sharing with the outlet how Gilman expressed love for her with grand romantic gestures. 

"Larry planted a vineyard for me last year," Mills revealed to the outlet. "He's really such a good guy."

The television star even shared the status of the vineyard planted behind her gorgeous English-style cottage in Brentwood, California.

"It's only a year old, so while we have grapes, we don't have any wine grapes yet," she said. "But another year or so and we will.

Mills shared her and Gilman's dreams of bottling their own wine made from their grapes on their vineyard. "It's called Ethereal," Mills said, sharing the name of her soon-to-be bottled wine.

On June 10, 2022, Mills snapped a picture of her enjoying a taste of her wine and shared it on Instagram alongside the caption, “Went out to the winery, The Village Winery, yesterday to taste our 2020 vintage. It was great! We’re going to bottle it in July!”

What is your favorite Donna Mills role? Are you eager to try her wine? Let us know and pass this along to friends, family, and fellow Mills fans.