Kristy McNichol – Bio, Age, Brother, Family, Gay, Where is She Now?

Quick Facts

Kristy McNichol is an award-winning American actress cum singer who garnered fame through the ‘80s and late nineties. Her noteworthy performance could be seen in the ABC drama series Family for which she won two Emmy Awards. She also appearances in other blockbuster movies including Only When I Laugh, Little Darlings, and Empty Nest, among others. She bowed out of the show business after her appearance in the 1998 series Invasion America. Amazingly, Kristy recorded a good number of awards in her name during her acting career. Read on, as we take a sneak peek on Kristy McNichol’s bio and other interesting facts below.

Kristy McNichol Bio (Age)

Kristy Ann McNichol was born on the 11th day of September 1962 in Los Angeles, California, US. She was born to a Lebanese mother Carolyn McNichol and her Irish husband Jim McNichol. As a child, life wasn’t a bird of roses for Kristy as her parents divorced when she was just three years old. Kristy and her siblings were raised by their mother who did lots of odd jobs in order to make ends meet. She completed her basic education at North Hollywood High School where she featured in various plays organized by the school.

Career and Rise to Prominence

Kristy McNichol developed a keen interest at an early stage and started appearing in TV commercials when she was six years old. She got her first acting gig in 1974, playing the role of Patricia Apple in the TV series Apple’s Way. After that, she followed it up with appearances in other TV series such as Starsky & Hutch, Love American Style, The Love Boat, and The Bionic Woman, etc.

The actress got her big break when she starred in the 1976 ABC series Family. There she played the character of Letitia Lawrence alongside Sada Thompson and James Broderick. The outstanding series fetched Kristy two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a drama series and also brought her into the limelight. Through the series, Kristy became one of the most popular teen celebrities at the time. She further appeared in TV shows like The Mike Douglas Show, Battle of the Network Stars, and Dinah among others.

During the ’80s Kristy McNichol featured in so many films and TV series. She portrayed her first lead role in the 1980 movie Little Darlings alongside . That same year, Kristy starred in the musical drama The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia along with and . The following year, she was a cast in the movie Only When I Laugh which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Kristy suffered an emotional breakdown in 1982 while on set for the production of the comedy-drama Just the Way You Are. The movie was later completed in 1984 when she was fully recovered. She continued playing interesting roles in different movies until 1998. Her noteworthy movies include Women of Valor, Two Moon Junction, Children of the Bride, The Golden Girls, Invasion America and much more.

Kristy McNichol’s Brother and Family

Like we earlier stated that Kristy McNichol was raised by her mother along with her other siblings. She has three brothers namely – Thomas, Jimmy, and Tommy McNichol Her older brother Jimmy also trailed the same path as Kristy. He established himself as a successful actor and musician. Just like Kristy, Jimmy also started off as a child actor at the age of seven and has remained active even until now. His popular movies include General Hospital, Night Warning, Gunsmoke, and Decker: Unsealed, among others.

After her mother’s separation from her father Jim, Kristy’s mom went on to marry a man named Siegfried Lucas. Together they welcomed another child, a daughter named Jeniffer Lucas. Soon after their marriage, Lucas equally adopted Kristy and her brothers and raised them as his own children.

Is She Gay?

Undoubtedly, Kristy McNichol dominated the limelight for a long time courtesy of her wonderful acting style; yet issues of her sexuality became a thing of public scrutiny. However, the actress made a shocking revelation during an interview in 2012. Kristy revealed she is gay and has lived with her partner Martie Allen for over two decades. Meanwhile, her partner Allen is also a well-known TV personality and the duo tied the knot later in life. Interestingly, Kristy isn’t the first lesbian actress to come out of the closet; the likes of , , , and  have equally come out as lesbian celebrities.

Where is She Now?

Kristy McNichol announced her official exit from the entertainment business in June 2001 and since then she rarely makes public appearances. While many of her fans weren’t happy with her decision, Kristy said it was the best thing to do at that point in time. Afterward, she briefly worked as an acting teacher in a school in Los Angeles. Later on, she has devoted her life to supporting different charity causes.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.