After a stellar acting career that began in the 1960s, Donna Mills chose to step away from the spotlight at the height of her fame. Best known for her role as the cunning Abby Cunningham on the popular soap opera Knots Landing, Mills felt that something essential was missing from her life. Seeking fulfillment beyond acting, she made a life-changing decision: to pause her career and pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a mother.

In 1994, at the age of 54, Mills adopted her daughter, Chloe, just four days after her birth. While many questioned whether she was too old to be a new mother, Mills saw her age as an advantage. She told People magazine that having established her career allowed her to focus fully on motherhood. Committed to being a hands-on parent, she chose not to hire a nanny, which led to an 18-year hiatus from acting to devote herself entirely to raising Chloe.

During her time away from acting, Mills built a strong and enduring bond with her daughter. Today, Chloe, now 28, is a model and social media influencer, sharing a close and supportive relationship with her mother. The duo often spends time together and was seen attending the London premiere of Jordan Peele’s film Nope in 2022, demonstrating their ongoing connection and shared joy in each other’s lives.

Mills has expressed no regrets about putting her career on hold. She has spoken openly about the instant love she felt for Chloe and believes that parenthood comes at the right time for each person. Through social media posts, she has celebrated her daughter and reflected on the happiness that motherhood brought her, highlighting the deep satisfaction she found in prioritizing family over fame.

Now that Chloe is grown, Donna Mills has made a celebrated return to the screen. She stars in the Lifetime series Dawn as the wicked grandmother Lillian Cutler, thrilling fans with her performance. Alongside her acting comeback, Mills has debuted a striking new shoulder-length silver-white hairstyle, playfully asking her followers, “They say blondes have more fun…but I’m loving this white, what do you think?” Her return shows that both family and career can coexist, each enriching her life in meaningful ways.