Facts Of Life star, 59, lands hot new job… see her now 45 years after beloved ’80s series debuted

By HEIDI PARKER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 16:33 BST, 29 May 2025 | Updated: 16:33 BST, 29 May 2025

The Facts Of Life was a major TV show in the 1980s.

The series – which aired from 1979 until 1988 – was about girls at a prestigious school for women who were comforted by a sweet headmistress.

Now one of the stars of the popular program has landed a hot new gig in a New York City play about friendship through letters, and one of her costars was on The Brady Bunch.

The lucky actress is 59-year-old Nancy McKeon, who played tough girl Jo on the beloved eighties show. 

Her Facts of Life costars were Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields and Mindy Cohn.

McKeon was also seen in a new social media post as she enjoyed a baseball game with her loved ones on Monday.

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The Facts of Life was a major TV show in the 1980s. The series – which aired from 1979 until 1988 – was about girls at a prestigious school for women who were comforted by a sweet headmistress

Now one of the stars of the popular show has landed a hot new gig in a Broadway play about friendship through letters; the cast in 2014

Nancy was also on the soap opera Another World, the TV version of Working Girl, Can’t Hurry Love and The Division.

And she had recent fame too as she was on season 27 of Dancing With The Stars.

The star worked with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, who has helped Rumer Willis (Season 20) and Laurie Hernandez (Season 23) to victory.

‘He is the most amazing partner. [He has] more patience than anybody I know and I’m so lucky,’ she said on GMA about Val. 

‘We’re only on day three, so he’s saving a few things to come at me I think, but [he’s] tough in a good way. Making sure that I have what I need to maybe keep up with him. I’m not certain it’s all going to come together, but we’re going to try.’

Now Nancy has been cast in a new stage production about friendship, People reported on Thursday.

Pen Pals — the acclaimed Off-Broadway play inspired by a true story — returns this summer for a limited engagement at the DR2 Theatre in New York City.

The lucky actress is 59-year-old Nancy McKeon, who played tough girl Jo on the beloved eighties show

These days she still looks incredible; seen in 2024 in New York City

The performer was also on Dancing With The Stars season 27

McKeon was also seen in a new social media post on Monday as she enjoyed a baseball game with her loved ones

In addition to Nancy, the rotating cast includes Maureen McCormick from the popular series The Brady Bunch.

And there is also Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue), Michelle Clunie (Queer as Folk), Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables), Kate Burton (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy) and Kathleen Chalfant (The Affair).

Another new face is Pauletta Pearson Washington (Reasonable Doubt) who is wed to Denzel Washington.

Pen Pals is about the bond between two women, Bernie and Mags, who share a friendship through letters.

Interesting fact on Nancy: In 1994, McKeon and Courteney Cox auditioned for the role of Monica Geller on the sitcom Friends. The role went to Cox. 

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Facts Of Life star, 59, lands hot new job… see her now 45 years after beloved ’80s series debuted

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