Susan Olsen Says Playing Cindy On ‘The Brady Bunch’ Came With One Huge Drawback

Susan Olsen started acting when she was very young. One of her earliest and most popular roles was playing Cindy Brady on the hit TV show The Brady Bunch. The show, which aired in the 1970s, followed a large blended family and quickly became a favorite among viewers. Olsen stood out with her blonde curls, sweet voice, and childlike innocence. Sometimes, though, Susan Olsen felt the character writing stepped over the line to make Cindy feel downright stupid.

She also appeared in other family-friendly projects, including Disney films and TV specials. While the role made her famous, Olsen recently shared that she didn’t always enjoy playing Cindy. Over the years, she felt uncomfortable with how the character was portrayed.

Susan Olsen’s character, Cindy Brady, was known for being stupid in ‘The Brady Bunch’

Olsen recently joined former castmates Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, and Mike Lookinland on their podcast, The Real Brady Bros. During their conversation, they talked about how Cindy was often made to say things that didn’t make sense. Olsen remembered one line from the very first episode where Cindy misunderstood her mother in a way that even she, as a child, found ridiculous.

Her castmates admitted that Olsen was nothing like her character in real life. They said she was smart and quick-witted, unlike Cindy. One of the actors even joked that she must have been thinking, “Why is Cindy so stupid?” something Olsen confirmed she had thought many times while filming.

‘The Brady Bunch’ wasn’t the only time Susan Olsen played a stupid character

Olsen said this type of role followed her throughout her acting career. She remembered another moment from a Disney movie called The Boy Who Stole the Elephant. In that film, her character asked why someone talks funny, only to be told the boy was English.

When she repeated the line “What’s English?” years later, her son laughed and pointed out that she always played the dumb kid. Olsen explained that while others thought these lines were harmless or funny, she didn’t enjoy being seen that way. She even said it was better that the show aired on Fridays, so her schoolmates might forget Cindy’s silly lines by Monday.