Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd Had to Talk Kate Jackson Into ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Reunion (Exclusive)

Charlie’s Angels alum Kate Jackson has largely disappeared from the Hollywood scene. However, she will be making a rare public appearance at a PaleyFest event, celebrating the iconic TV show’s 50th anniversary, in Los Angeles on April 6 — and it’s all thanks to her former costars, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd.

“It took a lot for Jaclyn and Cheryl to talk Kate into this,” a source tells Closer. “She really hates the spotlight but she’s also a very sentimental person. This being the 50th anniversary did sway her.”

That Jackson is turning 78 this year also played a part in her decision to participate, adds the source. “She’s very aware that moments like this don’t come around often.”

In 2022, Jackson opened up to Closer about her reasons for stepping back from show business.

“I’d had it with Hollywood’s long hours, the politics, the backstabbing and the gossip,” she explained. “It was not a great town for having your feet on the ground and living a normal life.”

Which, for Jackson, meant moving to a 125-acre farm in Keswick, Virginia.

Smith, 80, and Ladd, 74, have been “much more visible over the years,” notes the source. “They don’t have the same kind of anxiety about stepping back out there that Kate does so they were able to get her to lighten up about it all.”

When news of the Charlie’s Angels reunion broke on Monday, January 26, the trio issued a joint statement to People expressing their excitement.

“We are proud that we were able to entertain the television viewing audience for an hour each week, let them put their feet up, forget their troubles and, at the same time, inspire and empower young women all over the world,” they said. “We look forward to reuniting on the Paleyfest stage to celebrate Charlie’s Angels milestone anniversary and to reflect on our work in television across decades.”

If all goes well, “it could mean they do something even bigger,” Closer’s source hints. “That’s certainly what Jaclyn and Cheryl would like.”