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'FANGIRL-ING'

Rarely Seen ’70s Child Star Makes Surprise Appearance

The retired actress popped up in a selfie with the daughter of Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedJul 27, 2026, 5:34 PM EDT

UpdatedJul 27, 2026, 5:43 PM EDT

Updated Jul 27, 2026, 5:43 PM EDTPublished Jul 27, 2026, 5:34 PM EDT

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Late 1970s and early ‘80s teen idol Kristy McNichol delighted fans with a surprise appearance in a singer’s selfie.

The Family star announced her retirement from acting in 2001 at just 38 and has rarely been photographed since. But on July 20, the now-63-year-old was captured in a selfie by singer Carnie Wilson, who posted it to Facebook.

“Totally fangirling!!!” Wilson, the eldest daughter of Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson and a member of pop group Wilson Phillips, began her caption.

She continued, “Kris (Kristy McNichol) was a part of my youth. I adored her in her movies… Especially Little Darlings and The End.”

Wilson, 58, shared with McNichol how meaningful her movies are to her and her best friend. “We were JUST TALKING ABOUT HER… and how special she is,” she wrote, describing her as a “gracious sweetie.”

Adding, “She sure is loved.”

The post gained 28,000 likes and over a thousand comments, with people reminiscing about their favorite movies and shows by McNichol.

McNichol was a child star, appearing in commercials and making guest appearances on TV shows before securing her first regular role in Apple’s Way in 1974.

After joining Family in 1976, she won two Emmy Awards for her performance as teen Letitia “Buddy” Lawrence.

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McNichol starred in over 30 TV shows and movies before she decided to retire.

McNichol was considered one of the biggest teen idols of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, together with actress Brooke Shields.

“Every guy wanted to date her, every girl wanted to be her,” read one of the top comments under the Facebook post.

One person wrote, “Back in the late ’70s this [12-year-old] boy would cut out pictures of Kristy from Teen Beat magazine and plaster them all over my bedroom wall!”

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Many commenters also pointed out how great McNichol looked in 2026.

One person wrote, “She’s not aging,” while another added, “She still looks as pretty as she did then!”

In 2014, McNichol shared the reasons behind her decision to retire with People.

“I was on the big stage between ages 8 and 30. I left show business for a variety of reasons, but a big one was my interest in learning what else there is in life,” she said.

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Although McNichol did not completely deny the possibility of one day getting back into acting, she described her post-acting life as “so good.”

“My home life is happy and serene. I love singing. I also enjoy traveling and seeing the world,” she said, adding, “One of my favorite stops is Hawaii. I like everything about it and may eventually move there part-time.”

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Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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