This week, paparazzi spotted 77-year-old Meredith Baxter strolling through Santa Barbara. Her wife, Nancy Locke, was by her side, and the actress looked confident, modern, and elegant as she calmly went about her daily life. For millions of viewers, she will forever be Alice Keaton from Family Ties—the wry, warm, and wise mother of a family, a former hippie whose views stood in stark contrast to the conservative Reagan era. The seven-season series became a television classic, collecting five Emmy Awards and even incorporated Baxter’s real-life pregnancy, which included the birth of twins.
Meredith’s acting career began in the 1970s. She appeared in major film projects, including All the President’s Men with Robert Redford and the drama Rise and Be Counted with Jacqueline Bisset. Viewers also remember her from the sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie. These roles demonstrated her versatility and paved the way for the breakthrough that made her a television star. She later won two Emmys: for the Aaron Spelling drama Family and for the powerful television film Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story.
The actress’s personal life was far from rosy. Her marriage to co-star David Birney proved difficult and ended in divorce in 1989. In her memoir, published in 2011, Baxter spoke candidly about her experiences of abuse, earning respect and support from the public. After three marriages and raising five children, she publicly came out in 2009. In 2013, Meredith married Nancy Locke, with whom she has been building a peaceful and happy life for many years.
Even in adulthood, Baxter hasn’t disappeared from the screen. She’s appeared in popular projects like “Glee,” “The Young and the Restless,” “RuPaul’s Drag U,” and “Switched at Birth.” And the 2021 film “Genesis: The Future of Mankind Is Woman” confirmed that her acting energy and charisma are still in demand.
Meredith Baxter’s journey is a story not only about fame and television, but also about inner strength, self-honesty, and the right to love at any age. From a young Hollywood actress to an iconic TV mom and a woman who found peace on her own terms, at 77, she remains an inspiring example of resilience, authenticity, and self-worth.
