Danica McKellar stole the hearts of viewers everywhere when she starred as the young Winnie Cooper in the hit series “The Wonder Years.” When the first season aired, McKellar was just 13 years old and fans saw her grow up on their television screens over the next six years. Unfortunately, part of being a child actor meant having her real first kiss caught on camera when Cooper and Kevin Arnold, played by Fred Savage, had theirs. “We did six takes, and the way I know they used the sixth was that it’s the one where Kevin strokes my hair at the end. It was very, very sweet. Being a kid and having your first kiss is nerve-racking enough, but imagine you’re surrounded by a film crew of 50 or 100 people watching you,” she told Forbes in 2020.
Although McKellar went on to have many roles after “The Wonder Years,” the former Hallmark star’s identity became tied to Cooper long after the series ended. While the “Swing Into Romance” star enjoyed being part of such an iconic show, McKellar had to take a step back from Hollywood in order to find her true self.
Danica McKellar took a break from acting to distance herself from The Wonder Years
When “The Wonder Years” ended in 1993, Danica McKellar was officially an adult but she couldn’t shake the public’s image of her as Winnie Cooper. “Right when the show ended, I thought, ‘Okay, I am moving on and so will the rest of the world,’ and the rest of the world didn’t move on,” she shared with E! News. McKellar got admitted to UCLA where she studied math and was able to be herself with no ties to her television persona. “I really wanted to find out what was my value in regard to my brain and not fame,” she stated. The “Christmas She Wrote” star added that she went to classes with no makeup and dressed in everyday clothes, making it easier for her to blend in. It also helped that most of her teachers didn’t watch television, so they had no clue who she was.
McKellar shared with her son the reason she had a totally different career other than acting, per ET. “I went to UCLA, but when I got to school, everywhere I went, people all over campus would shout across campus, you know, ‘Hey Winnie!’ [or] ‘Hey, loved you on The Wonder Years!’ I couldn’t get away from it,” she told him. McKellar added, “So I needed to find out how I was valuable outside of Winnie Cooper, and math was challenging and I did well at it. And I love this feeling that my value, the important stuff had nothing to do with how I looked or television.”
Danica McKellar wanted a normal life outside of acting
Danica McKellar is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, but she doesn’t always want to be in the spotlight. Outside of filming, she just wants to enjoy life just like regular folk. There was a point when the “Math Doesn’t Suck” author realized she was famous and quickly got tired of it as a teen, per Route Magazine. “I remember going to Disneyland when I was about 15, and I went on my own with a friend of mine, and I put a wig on. My friend, she was kind of like, ‘Okay?’ She spoke French fluently, so we spoke French. I still had somebody say, ‘Excuse me, aren’t you that girl?’ and I was like, ‘Oh, je ne sais pas,'” McKellar recalled.
After living in Los Angeles for almost her whole life, the Ph.D. holder made the move to Tennessee in 2022. McKellar told The Tennessean, “It feels like you’re not in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. When I drive to get my car serviced, there aren’t people honking. It’s just this beautiful country road. Having (your) surroundings be more peaceful, I think it’s just wonderful for your whole mind-body connection.” However, that doesn’t mean she’s giving up on acting — fans can still see McKellar on the Great America Family network for all their favorite feel-good movies.
Danica McKellar experienced the losses of loved ones
Danica McKellar always tries to send positive messages to her fans even during times of hardship. In June 2022, she wrote a lengthy Instagram post advising fans to remain hopeful and take a minute to just breathe. She then admitted, “I’ll be honest; it’s been super rough time over here with [a] sudden and unexpected death in the family … but we are hanging in there. Life hits us all with challenges of all sorts at various times. Just remember that we are not alone.” McKellar added that faith helped her through her tragic loss and passed that love onto her fans.
The following November, McKellar lost another loved one when her grandmother died at 101 years old. While sharing pictures of her family on Facebook, the mom of one wrote, “Grandma Elsie had such a strong faith and would always smile and say, ‘I don’t know why the Good Lord is keeping me here. I’m ready to walk with Jesus.’ Well, I think He was keeping you here to fill our hearts with your love and faith. Today, the heavens are rejoicing … and so am I.”
Divorce was devastating to Danica McKellar
After three years of marriage, Danica McKellar filed for divorce from her then-husband Mike Verta, citing irreconcilable differences, People reported in 2012. At the time, their son Draco was just over a year old, and McKellar requested joint custody. The actor opened up about the difficult time on her website (via the Daily Mail). “The end of a marriage has got to be one of the saddest events one can experience — I’ve heard that the pain is second only to an actual death in the family, and that sounds about right,” she wrote. McKellar went on to tell her fans that the split has been amicable and their focus is on Draco’s happiness. “We are both totally in love with our little boy and believe this is the best thing for him. Thank you again for all your support,” she concluded.
McKellar eventually moved on with her current husband Scott Sveslosky and later reflected to Closer on her divorce, “I believe that was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. And I have advice for anyone going through a divorce if there are kids involved: Just be generous, and don’t bring them into it.” Despite the split, McKellar had nothing but nice things to say about Verta and praised his dad skills. “We get along great, much better than we did before, and we’re generous with each other,” she added.
Danica McKellar mourned the loss of her Wonder Years castmate’s husband
“The Wonder Years” mainly centered around Kevin Arnold and his angsty childhood but the show wouldn’t have been complete without the matriarch of the family played by Alley Mills. In real life, she was married to fellow actor Orson Bean from 1993 until his tragic February 2020 death. “Was devasted this morning to learn Alley Mills’ husband Orson Bean killed last night. Orson was 91, and was hit by a car while he was crossing the street. Alley was there to see it. I cannot imagine how difficult this is for their entire family. Please take a moment to send prayers and love to Alley and their family,” Danica McKellar shared on Facebook.
McKellar reunited with Mills in July 2024 at the Fanboy Expo in Knoxville, Tennesee, along with her other “Wonder Years” castmates, Dan Lauria, Jason Hervey, and Josh Saviano. “I mean, c’mon…! So great to be with my Wonder Years family this weekend! Sure, we’ve all seen each other through the years (just saw Dan & Josh last month, in fact!), but we realized this particular grouping hadn’t been together in well over 20 years…!” she wrote on Instagram. While Fred Savage and Olivia d’Abo were missing from the group, fans were all about seeing the “Wonder Years” cast together again.
