Charlie’s Angels reunion sparks backlash over Kate Jackson’s appearance – here’s why

The three original Charlie’s Angels stars, Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, and Cheryl Ladd, reunited this week to celebrate the classic TV series that ruled screens from 1976 to 1981.

But attention quickly shifted away from their groundbreaking work to something else entirely.

Things got a bit emotional when the three original Charlie’s Angels stars reunited Monday, April 6, for the PaleyFest 50th anniversary celebration of the iconic series that dominated television from 1976 to 1981. Among other things, Kate Jackson opened up about how the show had impacted her life in a very personal way.

The star of Charlie’s Angels revealed that extreme fame came at a heavy cost, one she’s still coming to terms with decades later.

The former TV icon said constant public scrutiny early in her career robbed her of privacy and ultimately pushed her to step away from Hollywood.

“We lost our privacy, totally. We just absolutely totally lost every bit of privacy. And then, to make it worse, those horrible tabloids,” Jackson told People during the 50th anniversary celebration of Charlie’s Angels.

The 77-year-old started her career on Dark Shadows before becoming a household name as Sabrina Duncan on Charlie’s Angels. She later appeared in Scarecrow and Mrs. King, cementing her TV legacy.

Jackson said she never imagined the lasting impact of her role.

“[I] never dreamed from day one, 50 years later, anyone would be interested at all or even had seen it,” she told Page Six. “But the fact is it’s never gone off the air, ever. It’s always been on television.”

Despite the career-defining role, Jackson admitted she walked away from the series to protect her personal life.

“I finally had to say, ‘Wait a minute, there’s my life, and there’s the show, and one is killing the other, so something has to go,’” she recalled in an interview with Closer magazine. “I sure as hell wasn’t about to sacrifice my life for a television show.”

She also opened up about Hollywood’s long hours, politics, and gossip: “I’d had it with Hollywood’s long hours, the politics, the backstabbing and the gossip. It was not a great town for having your feet on the ground and living a normal life.”