Donna Mills Stuns at 82 & Lives in Her ‘Forever House’ with Gold-Painted Dining Room – Inside Her Home

Actress Donna Mills was born in December 1940 in Chicago, Illinois. Donna began her acting career in television and gained recognition with her stints on “The Secret Storm” and the Broadway show “Don’t Drink the Water.”

The “False Arrest” star made her film debut in 1967 when she starred in the thriller, “The Incident,” playing Alice Keenan.

Donna’s most notable role is Abby Fairgate from the 80s primetime soap opera “Knots Landing.” She has bagged the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess for the role in 1986, 1988, and 1989.

The blonde beauty played Fairgate for nine years, left the show to pursue other interests, and went on to star in television films, such as “Outback Bound” and “Runaway Father.”

Donna Has the Sweetest Relationship with Her Partner and Daughter

Though Donna found fulfillment in her career, she took an 18-year hiatus to find an even greater purpose and became a mom. The “Fire!” star openly talked about motherhood in her 50s after adopting her daughter Chloe Mills.

The actress admitted that she was very focused on her career, but despite her success, she still felt like something was missing until she realized it was a child. She adopted her daughter as a four-day-old infant.

Although she knew becoming a mother was what she wanted, she received many warnings about entering motherhood in her 50s, but that did not deter her. Donna expressed,

“By that time, I was 54, and people said, ‘You’re going to be so old to have a little toddler running around.’ I never felt it; I never felt older than the other mothers who were probably in their 20s.”

Donna recommended having kids later in life to be fully invested in their careers through the early stages of their lives. As a first-time mom, she partly worked for the first couple of years and took Chloe wherever she went.

However, when Chloe started school, she decided to devote her full attention to her daughter and stopped working altogether. Donna said there was no way she would leave town for two months with an infant and she did not become a mom only to leave her child with a nanny either.

Moreover, Donna said Chloe is the best daughter a mother could ever ask for. The Hollywood star posted a photo of them embracing and captioned the post: “It’s National Daughters Day! I love you to the moon and back, my bunny.”

Donna shared that she and her child are still close, stating, “We see each other at least once a week, and we talk every day or text.”

On Mother’s Day in May 2021, the “General Hospital” alum posted a video of her and Chloe dancing. The proud mom said that her daughter was her favorite dance partner and the reason why she gets to celebrate the special day.

Chloe was born in September 1994 and is now a model and influencer based on her social media activity. She boasts 14.5k followers on Instagram and is a member of the Soho House in Malibu, California. Chloe is currently dating musician Bailey Joshua.

Finding Love at 61

At 61, Donna met someone whom she pursued a romantic relationship with. During an appearance on “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” the mother of one admitted that rich men do not appeal to her because they would want power, which she would wish to have as well.

Then she finally found a man named Larry Gilman, who gave her power without his being taken away. Donna has been in a long-term relationship with Gilman since 2001. He is a New York native, born in April 1950. Like his significant other, Gilman is also a veteran actor and producer.

Gilman has starred in TV shows such as “The Texas Ranger” and “Secrets,” and movies such as “The Woman in Red” and “Cool Runnings.”

He resides with Donna in Beverly Hills, California, in what she deems her “forever home.” Donna met Gilman two years after relocating to Los Angeles with her then-six-year-old child.

For a woman who started her career in the 1960s and continues to have a thriving work life, fans could not have been more shocked at how well Donna has aged.

The actress might have been criticized for becoming a mother later in life, but she said she never felt older than any of the moms she was around. Even in her 80s, Donna is still looking as young as ever.

In one of her Instagram posts, the 82-year-old was praised for her beauty. Most people reckoned that she had not changed a bit. One commenter even said no one would believe she was the same person from her earlier movies and shows.

Another netizen said, “This might possibly be the most naturally aged woman on the planet!!!” Donna is considered lucky to have such good genes because she does not look a day over 80.

Donna had many of her followers shocked, with many calling her “gorgeous” and “beautiful.” But the actress also has a health regime that she religiously follows.

In one of her interviews, the mother of one did not shy away from expressing her pride in gracefully aging without having any procedures done. The actress is not afraid to embrace her fine lines, but she prioritizes her health.

Donna works out every day. She already has a flexible body from her dancing days, so she ensured to have a ballet bar in her home gym. She also does a lot of gymnastics, weight training, and many stretching exercises.

The “Nope” star has always been a healthy eater. She keeps her diet simple, with just protein and vegetables. Donna is particularly proud to be eating freshly picked produce from her garden.

That means her diet does not consist of any starches. Donna also admitted to not being the greatest cook but said she makes a good cheesecake.

When it comes to her ageless face, Donna’s best skin care tip is to stay out of the sun. She is often asked why she never got any beauty enhancements done, to which she responds, “Because I am not going to look like a duck. I would rather have lines than a duck bill.”

The actress is proud of her age and has never let it come between her career, her motherhood, and finding the love of her life.

Inside Donna’s Forever Home

The “Play Misty for Me” star moved into an English-style cottage in the Brentwood neighborhood, built-in 1928. “The canyon used to be a botanical garden. There’s something peaceful about it that I love,” Donna explained.

The television star and her adopted daughter Chloe moved into the home 14 years ago and has since said, “This is my forever house.” In July 2017, she invited the Los Angeles Times into her abode and talked about her favorite space, the gold-painted dining room.

Donna said she loves hosting friends in her dining room and enjoys the candlelight at night because it makes the room glow and brings out its warmth.

When asked about the effect of the lights in the evenings, she said, “In candlelight – magical. We don’t need to put the lights on unless we want to see our food better.”

One of the interesting pieces in the room, according to Donna, is her wooden table. “The table is from Mulligans in Los Angeles. It used to be the kitchen table at my old house. I’ve had it for almost 30 years.

“It has a special coating on the surface so you can place anything on it, and it won’t stain. I want to put it on everything, but they won’t tell me what’s in it,” she explained.

Donna also mentioned the feeding bin in the room, sharing, “It was my boyfriend’s and is what they use on farms to feed the animals. I use it as a serving table.”

The dining room, which has wooden floors, has a rectangular wooden table with chairs adorned with off-white covers.

When asked if she mainly utilizes the space for entertaining, the “Turnover” star divulged: “We’ve done Thanksgiving here with 20 people. I love setting a beautiful table. It’s like art. I have, I don’t know how many sets of dishes.”

One of the memorable Thanksgivings for her was when her daughter cooked up a feast. Donna expressed how much she loved sharing those kinds of moments with her family.

Next to the window in her dining space is a wooden console that holds her candles, and above the dining table is a chandelier. Donna also has a freestanding console for her antiques and candles

Against the wall is her wooden credenza, where she has all her antique plates on display. Donna said she has owned the credenza since she bought her first home.

The actress’ home is filled with unique antique furniture. She loves collecting these special pieces because of the histories they carry with them.

Apart from the dining room, Donna spends time in her small brown-painted gym room, where she rides her Peloton bike and portraits hang on the walls.

In the lounging area of her home, a U-shaped couch matches the brown shade of the carpet. In one of her social media posts, her pet dogs are shown comfortably taking a nap on the floor.

The outside area is also big enough for a vineyard. She revealed that Gilman had made a romantic gesture for her by planting her a vineyard. “Larry planted a vineyard for me last year. He’s really such a good guy,” she gushed.

Of their vineyard, Donna mentioned that it was only a year old and while they had grapes, they did not have wine grapes yet. She also disclosed that they planned on making wine in the future made from their California grapes.

Altogether Donna and Gilman’s home consists of four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. The property features a pool and a tennis court.

There is no doubt that Donna is proud of her home. She even revealed that one of the reality TV shows she starred in, “Queens of Drama,” was shot at her house. The vast space outside made filming a breeze, and the big windows also allowed for a lot of natural light, which is why Donna chose the house to be her forever home.