Fans knew Lisa Robin Kelly as the bouncy blond who played Laurie Foreman on the hit series That '70s Show, but behind the actress’s bright smile was another, much darker reality. The sitcom star was hiding a horrible secret: a struggle with addiction that would ultimately take her life.
Now, fans are wondering what kind of a relationship Kelly maintained with her television co-stars during the time of her battle against substance abuse. Was she able to forge friendships with her cast mates? Or, was her addiction too strong? We have done some digging to get ahold of the inside scoop on Kelly’s struggle against the disease and how it impacted her time on the show.
Losing Her Grip On The 70s
Kelly fought her addiction for nearly a decade before her untimely death. Unfortunately, her substance abuse did overlap with her time on That '70s Show, and it was not helpful for her career.
While other show stars like Mila Kunis were able to use their time on the sitcom to create a name for themselves, Kelly sunk further into the shadows. In 2001, she started the season as a regularly appearing character; by the end, show writers had to completely eliminate her from the storyline. According to Looper, Kelly eventually spoke out about her disappearance from the show and admitted that she was temporarily fired for drinking too much.
The outlet maintains that the actress managed to improve her relationship with the rest of show production throughout season five. However, by the sixth season, Kelly’s addiction had taken control of her again. As a result of her addiction, the door of opportunity to be a member of That '70s Show slammed shut. Kelly not only lost her role; it was passed on to Christina Moore in 2003.
Lost & Beloved
Kelly’s substance abuse destroyed many of her professional relationships; however, her addictions did not prevent many of her cast mates from admiring her on a personal level.
According to E!, the actress’ TV dad Kurtwood Smith wrote a beautiful paragraph in dedication to the young actress upon her passing. Smith, who played Red Foreman on the sitcom, told the world that Kelly was much more than her disease. “I’m so sorry to hear about Lisa’s passing away,” he stated, “I know the last ten years have been such a struggle for her, but I will always remember the lovely, funny, and very talented young lady I worked with.”
The outlet maintains that Smith was far from the only show member to pay their respects. Another one of Kelly’s cast mates had similarly kind words to share. Danny Masterson, who played Stephen Hyde, remembered Kelly as a talented actress and a person who would be greatly missed. “Brilliant on 70s,” he tweeted, “See you next time LRK.” He signed the message with the sweet word, “kisses.” How heart-wrenching!
Kelly’s agent Craig Wyckoff also remembered her fondly, reports Syracuse.Com. In a statement, Wyckoff recognized the actress’ struggle as a truly tragic one. “She was battling the addiction problems that have plagued her these past few years,” he said, “I spoke to her on (the Monday before she passed away), and she was hopeful and confident, looking forward to putting this part of her life behind her. Last night, she lost the battle.”
Never Forgotten
In the years following Kelly’s death, the cast of That '70s Show has remained close. Most notably, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher tied the knot in 2015; however, the remainder of the actors have done a decent job of maintaining their friendships.
In 2013, US Weekly reports, a bunch of the sitcom actors gathered for a fun show reunion, in which they sang the theme song in unison. Present at the event were Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. Despite the excellent turnout, the crew of actors did not forget that Kelly was not among them.
The outlet even quotes Prepon referring to the cast as her “family,” maintaining that the actors remained close following the show’s cancellation. According to the report, Prepon’s “family” included “Debra Jo Ropp, Kurtwood Smith, and Lisa Robin Kelly.”
Kelly obviously could not be present at the event, but she was still remembered fondly by those who gathered there.
Kelly’s Legacy
Sadly, the actress spent an entire decade losing her battle against addiction. The years that she struggled were years that her career lagged behind those of her co-stars, to the point that she could not even cling to a stable acting gig.
However, Kelly’s tragic fate remains as a terrifying reminder of what can happen to young Hollywood stars if their addictions are not treated as a serious problem.
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