Actress Donna Mills is one of those women who are gifted with exceptional beauty. No matter how many years pass by, they still look as gorgeous as ever.
Her looks, along with her talent, helped Mills become a household name. From the moment she landed a role on the CBS daytime soap opera The Secret Storm in 1966, it was obvious she was meant for great things. As all eyes were on her, her career skyrocketed with the iconic role of scheming, manipulative vixen Abby Cunningham on the long-running primetime soap opera Knots Landing and a major recurring guest-starring role in the popular soap opera General Hospital.
At the same time as her career blossomed, Mills was also trying to find love. Eventually, she started a relationship with guitarist Richard Holland, the ex-husband of singer Chaka Khan with whom he had a son, Damian. Many believed that Mills and Holland made a somewhat odd couple as their personalities were very different. She perceived herself as an active and motivated go-getter, while Holland rarely found motivation to do things. Those close to him always described him as laid back.
The public even believed that he was with her for her money and the comfort she provided for him. Shortly after they started a relationship, Holland settled with Mills in her $1.5 million mansion where she prepared a room for his son who visited them and sometimes stayed with them over the weekends.
The two stayed together and she always considered their relationship “turbulent.” During the 20 years they were going on and off, they never started a family or had a child on their own.
Mills was way too busy building her career and never felt like something was missing in her life, until she reached 54 and decided she wanted to become a mother. Many criticized her decision, saying it was late for her to embark on such a journey as parenthood, but Mills was determined to have a child. In 1994, at the height of her acting career, Mills adopted daughter Chloe, who was just four days old.
The role of a mother was so fitting to Mills that she made a shocking decision to put her career on hold and focus on raising her baby girl.
Even today, 28 years after Chloe entered her life, their mother-daughter bond is as strong as ever.
Chloe is a celebrity in her own right. She is an influencer and a model, as well as a member of the popular California-based arts, politics and media club Soho House. She’s dating musician Bailey Joshua.
Just like her daughter, Mills found love herself. Although her relationship with Holland was an unstable one, the Knots Landing star never lost hope of falling in love again. For the last 20 years, she’s been together with another Hollywood star, actor and producer Larry Gilman, whom she describes as her soul mate.
He is best known for his roles in the television series Texas Rangers between 1980 to 1981, the feature film Secrets, and the popular CBS war comedy-drama television series, M*A*S*H.
In 2015, he surprised her with a vineyard.
Recently, Mills posed alongside two other stars of her kind, Linda Gray and Joan Collins. The three 80s lead women appeared radiant and glowing, leaving their fans in awe.
It’s safe to say that the three actresses defy age.
The trio had come together for a magazine shoot, as was evident from Mills’ caption, which read:
“What a delight working with these lovely ladies. Thank you Hello Magazine @hellomag for a terrific story in your latest issue.”
Mills was dressed in a sparkling pink outfit, while Collins stunned in a gorgeous black dress and Gray opted for a shimmery gray and silver attire.
As expected, the post attracted the attention of many who dubbed the three ladies “icons,” “soap queens,” and “legends.”
“Dallas, Dynasty & Knots Landing in one frame. These Iconic ladies made those shows!” a fan wrote.
I Found a Little Girl in My Shopping Cart—Her Plea Changed My Life Forever
I was doing my usual grocery shopping when I suddenly found a little girl sitting in my cart. She looked up at me with big, scared eyes and whispered, “Don’t give me back, I’m scared.” At that moment, I knew my life was about to change.
My career was steady, and my life was well-organized. I took pride in the independence I had built over the years. Being single didn’t bother me. I enjoyed the freedom and simplicity of my life, without many responsibilities beyond my job and daily routine.
My daily routines, though simple, brought me comfort. After my sister Melissa lost her job, I let her stay with me. She was family, after all. She had a tendency to take control of things, but I hoped she’d get back on her feet soon.
That day started like any other. I went grocery shopping, as I did every week. The simple act of shopping made me feel in control.
Walking through the aisles, I focused on my list. Halfway through, I turned to grab a box of cereal, and when I looked back at my cart, there was… a little girl!
She was sitting in the basket. I blinked, confused.
“Hi! Where’s your mommy?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” she whispered, gripping the cart tightly.
I froze, trying to understand what was happening. I looked around, expecting to see a parent nearby, but there was no one.
“What’s your name?” I asked gently, crouching to her level.
“Lily,” she whispered softly.
I looked around again, but the store was full of busy strangers. What should I do? Leave her and wait for someone? But what if no one came?
“Well, Lily,” I said softly, “let’s find someone who can help us, okay?”
I slowly pushed the cart, scanning the aisles for her parents. After 20 minutes, it was clear—no one was coming for her.
Just as I was about to call the police, she looked up at me with tear-filled eyes and whispered, “Don’t give me back, I’m scared.”
Before I knew it, I had taken her home.
Everything felt surreal. Lily, a scared little girl, sat at my kitchen table, eating a sandwich, her eyes following me as if I was her only safety.
The front door opened, and Melissa walked in. I knew this wouldn’t go over well.
“What is this?” she asked, her eyes locking on Lily.
“I found her at the grocery store,” I explained, trying to stay calm.
“Found her?!” Melissa exclaimed. “You can’t just bring home a child! Do you even know where she came from?”
“No, but she was alone,” I replied. “I couldn’t leave her there.”
“You can’t fix everything, Rachel. This is a bad idea.”
“I called James,” I said, mentioning my detective friend. “He’s looking into it. We’ll figure it out.”
Melissa sighed in frustration but muttered nothing else. My focus stayed on Lily.
The next morning, my fears came true. There was a knock at the door. Social services had arrived.
Melissa acted fast, as she always did when worried. I knew I couldn’t keep Lily, no matter how much I wanted to.
“We’ll take her into care,” a social worker said gently.
I looked at Lily, who was clutching the table.
“I… I just need a minute,” I stammered.
I knelt by Lily. “Sweetie, you have to go with them for now. They’re going to help you.”
Her big eyes met mine. “Please, don’t give me back. I’m scared.”
Her words broke my heart, but before I could say more, the social workers took her away.
Suddenly, my phone rang. It was James, his voice serious.
“Rachel, I found something. Her name’s Lily. She’s run away from home before, but they’ve never found anything wrong.”
“Do you have their address? Send it to me, please.”
Later, Melissa began criticizing me again. “This is why I called social services. You’re acting impulsively.”
“A mess? You think this is a mess?” I snapped. “Lily needed help, and I wasn’t going to abandon her. Maybe focus on your own life before judging mine.”
Melissa stayed silent. I grabbed my keys and left, determined to figure things out.
When I arrived at Lily’s house, something felt off. The house was neglected, the yard overgrown. I knocked, and a pale woman opened the door—Lily’s mother, Gloria.
“I’m Rachel. I’ve been caring for Lily,” I explained.
At her daughter’s name, Gloria’s expression filled with sadness. She let me in.
“I know I can’t take care of her anymore,” Gloria admitted, her voice heavy with defeat.
“Gloria,” I said gently, “you love her, but she needs more right now. Let me help.”
Gloria wiped her eyes. “I tried… after her father died.”
“You don’t have to do this alone. I’ll care for her while you get back on your feet. We’ll figure this out together.”
“You’d do that?” she asked.
“Yes. Lily needs to be safe. I’ll take care of her for now, and when you’re ready, she can come back.”
Gloria nodded, and we talked about a plan for her to visit Lily and work toward getting her back.
Just then, social services arrived. Lily ran to her mother, hugging her tightly.
“I’m here, baby,” Gloria whispered. After a few moments, Lily walked back to me.
I spoke with social workers and Gloria about the plan. Lily would stay with me temporarily, and we would reassess Gloria’s situation in a few months.
“It’s time to go, sweetie,” I said, holding Lily’s hand.
Gloria gave her a nod. “Be good, okay?”
From that day on, life changed for both of us. Lily adjusted, and we found comfort in new routines.
One night, she asked, “Will I see Mom again?”
“Yes, sweetie,” I assured her. “When she’s ready. And until then, you’re safe here.”
Through this journey, I learned that love sometimes means knowing when to let go and trust in the future.
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