This veteran star may have never planned on becoming an actress, but a chance role on a hit TV show changed everything. Now, in her late fifties, she’s overcome incredible challenges and is thriving more than ever—here’s a glimpse into her inspiring journey and how she’s doing today.
Famed for her role as Natalie Green on “The Facts of Life” (1979–1988), this actress was discovered as a teenager. After facing serious health struggles years later, she had to leave Hollywood but, at 58, is now flourishing once moreReflecting on her early years in a 2013 HuffPost article, the celebrity wrote, “Have I said anything at all about performing, or wanting to be an actress? No, sir.”
The actress further explained, “If you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I probably would’ve said a doctor because I wanted to help people and I have a knack for doing just that.”
She recalled how her journey to stardom happened entirely by chance. In the summer of 1979, just before starting ninth grade, she was called out of her class along with some classmates to meet with TV producers working on a new sitcom set in an all-girls school.Initially, it was just a way to skip class and enjoy free doughnuts. However, to her surprise, the next day, the future actress was summoned to the headmaster’s office again.
Charlotte Rae, the seasoned actress on the project, had been captivated by her—finding her “irresistible, charming, and hilarious.” Rae even suggested a role be created just for the high schooler, sparking the unexpected start of her acting career.
Following her unexpected breakthrough, the California native continued to stay active in the entertainment industry well beyond her “Facts of Life” years. Alongside numerous on-screen appearances, she also voiced Velma in the “What’s New, Scooby-Doo?” reboot for over a decade.Despite a thriving career, her world was abruptly turned upside down one morning in 2012. While taking a walk in her neighborhood, Mindy Cohn suddenly felt too exhausted to continue.
Concerned, she reached out to her friend Helen Hunt for help. A doctor’s visit soon followed, where a scan revealed a troubling find. After a biopsy, the veteran star received devastating news, “It was breast cancer,” she divulged, noting, “I kept that secret for a long time.”
The following five years became what she called a “siege,” as she faced a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation—tests of endurance that wore down her usual optimism. Known for her steady presence, Cohn admitted that the recurring cancer, which had metastasized, left her feeling frustrated and powerlesskept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and then it would. And then I’d wait for another shoe to drop, and it would. […] I couldn’t control any of this. I couldn’t fix it,” she expressed in a candid interview.
Seeking recovery after her diagnosis, Cohn chose to leave Hollywood and embrace the quiet life of the countryside. She found solace with close friends Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge, stars of the reality show “The Fabulous Beekman Boys.”
