Sara Gilbert grows up as a TV brat

At 14, Sara Gilbert knows where she stands as an actress.

“I wouldn’t exactly say that my feet are on the ground,” she said. “I’m pretty confident about my abilities, but I’m nowhere near the great talents. So I’m not all that impressed with my being an actress. I’m still surprised when people know my name. I just consider myself one of God’s little creatures living here on Earth.”

Gilbert portrays Darlene Conner, the sarcastic middle child in the hit ABC series “Roseanne.” The comedy airs from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays on WLS-Channel 7.

When Gilbert started acting eight years ago, people often referred to her as Melissa’s little sister. Melissa Gilbert starred as Laura Ingalls on the NBC series “Little House on the Prairie.”

“I never felt any competition with my sister as an actress,” Gilbert during a telephone conversation from Los Angeles. “There’s enough of an age difference between us that we’d never go for the same roles. I always thought it was an asset having a sister in the business, because she always gave me little suggestions. I always talk with Melissa. She’s really great.”

Born in Santa Monica, Calif., Gilbert hails from a show-business family. Her mother, Barbara, is a talent manager and producer. Gilbert’s grandfather, Harry Crane, created and wrote “The Honeymooners.” Her grandmother, Julia Crane, is a former dancer and beauty queen. And Melissa isn’t Gilbert’s only acting sibling. Elder brother Jonathan also acts.

“I guess it sounds like all we do in our family is act or something,” said Gilbert, laughing. “But none of us felt pressured into doing this. Sure, it was natural that we would be interested in following in the footsteps of family members. The desire to act is just something that was in me from a really young age.”

“Roseanne” is Gilbert’s first television series, but she said she felt at home on the set from Day One. The cast members, which include Roseanne Barr and John Goodman, really are close, she said, and that helps her do her job without worrying.

“If the cast had a member I didn’t get along with, I’d still do my job, but I bet I’d mess up more,” Gilbert said.

“I really enjoy the fast pace of working on a weekly series. It’s hard work, but it’s really interesting, too. We rehearse all week long, and on Fridays we shoot the show in front of live audiences. That’s the best. It’s really fun, especially when people laugh at things that you think are funny, too. I feel right at home then.”

Like most other child actors, Gilbert studies on the set with a private tutor. She’s a high school sophomore, and hasn’t decided whether she wants to go to college.

“I’m still kind of young to decide what I want to do with my future,” she said. “When I was little, I wanted to become an actress, a singer and president of the United States, all at the same time. It might be neat to direct, but who knows what I’ll want to do when I’m 18? I’ll have to wait and decide then.”