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"Playing Marcia was a double-edged sword; it always will be whenever you play a character like that. You will be known as that character forever." An entire generation fell in love with Maureen McCormick as the beautiful Marcia Brady. Played to perfection by Maureen, Marcia Brady would become every young boy's crush and every young girl's role model. Now, nearly fifty years later, Marcia Brady is still very much a part of the pop-culture landscape.

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Despite the impact that Marcia Brady had on the TV world, it would be a shame to limit Maureen McCormick's career to that individual role. Over the course of her life after The Brady Bunch, McCormick would record her own country album, star in over 88 different projects, and even become something of a reality TV star, later on in life.

No, the story of Maureen McCormick did not begin with Marcia Brady nor did it end there. If you are interested in seeing what became of McCormick after leaving The Brady Bunch, you've come to the right place.

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Born to be a Star

Maureen McCormick was born in Encino, CA on August 5, 1956. McCormick was raised by her mother, Irene McCormick, and her father, William McCormick. Maureen also had three older brothers by the names of Kevin, Dennis, Michael. As the youngest child and the only daughter, it was clear from early on that Maureen wouldn't have to do much in order to get noticed by her family. Still, McCormick was always ready to put on a show. By the age of 6-years-old, Maureen was already falling in love with entertaining. Her parents noted that Maureen loved to dance, sing, and put on puppet shows for the family and neighbors. Before long, Maureen was competing in beauty pageants, eventually winning Baby Miss San Fernando Valley in 1964.

When McCormick wasn't living her best life on television, she was rubbing elbows with her co-stars. McCormick was most notably linked with her Brady Bunch brother, Barry Williams. While the two did not end up working out, they certainly caught the attention of tabloids everywhere. Eventually, Maureen would settle down when she met a man by the name of Michael Cummings in 1985. Michael had never seen The Brady Bunch. Michael and Maureen would meet at Church, and they would soon be married in 1989. The two are still together today, and they have a daughter together, Natalie Michelle.

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Maureen McCormick's career in Hollywood has been defined by her consistent effort to reinvent herself. From portraying Marcia Brady to releasing her own country music album, Maureen McCormick has experienced everything that the industry has to offer. In order to get a real feel for her ascent in Hollywood, we need to go back to the beginning.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

Destined to be a star, it wouldn't be long before Maureen McCormick would be knocking down doors in Hollywood. Seemingly raised by the industry, McCormick would land her first major role when she was just 8-years-old. McCormick would star in a commercial for a new doll made by Mattel, the 'Baby Pattaburp'. McCormick would appear in a couple of other commercials before attending her first major audition in 1969. That audition was, of course, for the role of Marcia Brady. Maureen was selected over 1,200 other children who auditioned for the character. To say that the odds were against her would be to put it lightly. Still, the rest, as they say, was history. McCormick would go on to portray Marcia Brady a total of ten times in her career, spanning from 1969 to 1993. Notable Marcia portrayals include The Brady Bunch Hour (1976), A Very Brady Christmas (1988), and Bradymania: A Very  Brady Special (1993).

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While Maureen McCormick would try her hand at breaking away from the character of Marcia, she would never find the same level of mainstream success as an actress. McCormick's most notable roles include The Idolmaker (1980) alongside Ray Sharkey and a five-episode arc on The Love Boat (1977). McCormick says of her inability to completely break free of Marcia, "For most of my life, I have been followed and sometimes haunted by Marcia Brady. I don't have a choice in the matter. Imagine always being overshadowed by a younger, prettier, more popular you." In order to get away from the character, McCormick took a notable break from television in order to star in a variety of stage productions, including Peter Pan and Grease.

While McCormick's role as an actress never reached the same heights as her early work, she still has managed to carve out a name for herself in the industry. Despite her high-profile struggles with addiction, McCormick would continue to push her craft at every opportunity. McCormick would release her debut country album in 1995, titled When You Get a Little Lonely. An avid fan of country music, McCormick would also star in the country music biopic, Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story (1997).  She would also release four studio albums as part of The Brady Bunch.

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Outside of the music world, McCormick has routinely sought to share her story with her fans and followers. She would pen her autobiography in 2008, titled Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice. The book would hit the #4 spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Despite causing a mild controversy, the book would serve to give fans an inside look into the real struggles that McCormick had to deal with. As a former child star who survived addiction, McCormick's story was both raw and fascinating.

While Maureen McCormick is still acting in a variety of different projects, her most recent calling seems to be reality television. McCormick would star in the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club (2007) with the goal of losing the weight she had gained in the wake of her mother's tragic passing. McCormick would end up winning the series in honor of her mom. From there, McCormick would appear on the country music reality show, Gone Country (2008) as well as Outsiders Inn (2009). Success in this format would lead McCormick to land a starring role in the Australian adaptation of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! (2015). McCormick would come in third place in the competition. The following year, McCormick would land a coveted spot on the hit dancing reality show, Dancing With the Stars (2016). McCormick would finish in 8th place.

Maureen McCormick has lived an amazing life. From the heights of child stardom to the lows of personal loss and addiction, Maureen McCormick has continued to push forward through all obstacles. McCormick says of her guiding inspiration, her mother, "To me, she was an amazing woman, something I hope my daughter will one day be able to say about me. If not amazing, I want her to at least be able to say that I tried."