‘Knots Landing’ Star Donna Mills Turns Heads In A Glimmering Rare Appearance

Sep 30, 2025 by apost team

Donna Mills is a Hollywood icon. The actress's impressive career, which began in the 1960s, spans over five decades. The rising star appeared in several hit series, including "The Secret Storm" and "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing." In 1967, Mills made her film debut in "The Incident," where she shared the screen alongside Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, Ed McMahon, and Thelma Ritter.

For decades, the rising star was typecast as the damsel in distress. However, her longing to break away from this led her to the most memorable role of her career. The award-winning actress is best known for her portrayal of Abby Cunningham on the prime-time soap opera "Knots Landing."

Mills was part of the series from 1980 to 1989. She won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess three times for her stunning portrayal of the manipulative Cunningham. Mills was also named one of the "5 Prime Time Soap Opera Villains We Love To Hate" by Everythingzoomer. 

Mills continued to star in television films and movies following her breakout role. After leaving "Knots Landing," she concentrated more on film acting, with roles in movies such as "In My Daughter's Name" and "My Name Is Kate." The Chicago native has over 100 acting credits and a net worth of about $9 million.

Surprisingly, Mills left her career at its peak, only to return to it years after becoming a mother in her 50s, for which she received flak. Mills has since been gracefully aging as she still wears outfits that prove she's young. Continue reading to learn more about the actress, her journey toward motherhood, and her foray into living and dressing young!

Mills had spent most of her life focused on her career, but she had a revelation by the time she reached her 50s. She found love with "M*A*S*H” star Larry Gilman in 2001. In an interview with PEOPLE, Mills explained how her life didn't feel complete when she was in her 50s, which led her to consider adopting a child: "I was very concentrated on my career, but at a certain point, I realized there was something missing — it was a child," she continued: "So I went after it. I adopted her when she was four days old." 

Mills added that at 54, many thought she was too old to be a mother to an infant child and feared she wouldn’t have the energy to enter motherhood in her 50s. However, the Daytime Emmy-Award-winning actress felt that her age was only a number. The actress told the publication that she enjoyed being a mother later in her life so much that she would encourage other women to do the same, especially women who want to have both a successful career and a family.

After adopting her daughter, Mills decided that her career would have to wait temporarily. Admitting that motherhood was a full-time job for her, Mills said she became a mother for a reason and would not miss raising her child:

"I took off 18 years. I didn't work. Well, the first couple of years, I did work. I did some movies for television and stuff like that, because I could take her wherever I went. But then when she started school, I wasn't going to go out of town for two months at a time. And I didn't become a mother to give her to a nanny."

apost.com

Chloe Mills and her mother still have a close-knit relationship. Mills told the publication that she and her daughter text constantly throughout the day and even make time to see each other once a week. While some people chastised Mills for stepping away from her career to focus on motherhood, the actress couldn’t be happier with how her life turned out. According to The Daily Mail, Mills “fell in love” with Chloe the moment she saw her, and she knew that they were meant to be in each other’s lives:

“She was mine and that's all there was to it. I do believe the right child comes to you, and she was meant to be with me.” 

The iconic actress posted a photo of herself and Chloe, followed by a solo shot of herself looking incredible at 83. In the caption, Mills wrote:

“My bunny and I on the @dailymail She’s the best decision I’ve ever made…now that she’s all grown up I couldn’t be happier to be back in-front of the 🎥 🌟”

Mills remains a well-known star despite her age. In 2023, the actress returned triumphantly to the screen for the Lifetime series “Dawn,” based on the best-selling book by V.C. Andrews, alongside Fran Drescher and Joey McIntyre. Mills portrayed the wicked grandmother, Lillian Cutler, and totally nailed the part. The actress took to Instagram to showcase her look, which consisted of a sharp blue jacket and a statement brooch. Her new look tickled fans. One user wrote: “Love it. You look beautiful no matter what colour your hair is,” while another commented:

“It makes your beautiful eyes pop even more than they usually do!”

The secret to Mills's gorgeous look is simple – she maintained a disciplined diet. She told AARP Magazine:

"I never ate pasta, sugar, bread, ice cream, cookies, or any of that kind of stuff."

She continued:

"I would have maybe half a glass of wine. Now I eat, but I'm still careful. I'm not a vegetarian, but I grow, pick, and eat a lot of vegetables."

Despite her age, the actress still possesses the vigor and vitality necessary to keep herself motivated. When asked about her secret to maintaining her youthful look, she admitted to CBS News that resilience goes a long way. She stated: "You just have to say, 'I'm gonna do it anyway' ." Mills's philosophy toward aging is insightful and optimistic. She told the outlet:

"The hard part is that, you know, it's the last chapter. And I don't want to go away. So, I'm hanging on as long as I can, and trying to be as much as I can be for as long as I can be." 

In February 2024, Mills, then 83, was all smiles in a photo she shared on Instagram as she was interviewed for the Nolan Miller documentary. Fans particularly noted her pearly white teeth, as her smile beamed in the photo. "Everyone has some really white teeth," one noticed, prompting others to note that "the teeth on three of them are like spotlights."

The actress's pearly whites weren't the only talking point in the comments. Fans have noticed how Mills's ageless beauty still shines to this day. One fan commented:

"Queen Donna Mills looks stunning and alluring as usual.”

"Legendary BEAUTY," another described, while another wrote:

“Oh Donna you are more beautiful every picture. Great smile 🌹🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️. Classy lady” 

Are you a fan of Donna Mills? Isn’t she aging beautifully? Let us know your thoughts, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!