Sally Field, an acclaimed actress with Academy, Emmy, and Golden Globe awards, is celebrated for her roles in films like “Forrest Gump,” “Brothers and Sisters,” “Lincoln,” and “Steel Magnolias.” The 76-year-old actress began her career as the lead in “Gidget” in 1965 and has since appeared in numerous TV shows, movies, and Broadway productions.
The Beginning of Her Career
Born on November 6, 1946, in Pasadena, California, Sally Field is the daughter of salesman Richard Dryden Field and actress Margaret Field (née Morlan). After her parents divorced, her mother married actor and stuntman Jock Mahoney, making Sally half-sister to Princess O’Mahoney and sister to Richard Field.
Field’s debut role was Frances Elizabeth ‘Gidget’ Lawrence in the series “Gidget,” which was canceled after one season due to poor ratings. She then starred in “The Flying Nun” for three seasons, a role she disliked and during which she struggled with depression.
Reflecting on this period, she said, “I had to put my head down and do my best job despite feeling the need to hide my depression. At that point, I lacked the skills to understand what was happening to me or see my dreams.”
In 1967, she appeared in her first film, “The Way West,” and gained significant recognition in 1977 with “Smokey and the Bandit” alongside Burt Reynolds, who was her boyfriend then. Field won her first Oscar in 1979 for “Norma Rae” and her second in 1984 for “Places in the Heart.” In 1994, she portrayed the mother in “Forrest Gump,” which won six Academy Awards.
Her Personal Life
Sally Field married Steven Craig in 1968, and they had two sons, Peter and Eli, before divorcing in 1975. She then married Alan Greisman in 1984, with whom she had a son, Samuel, before their divorce in 1994.
From 1976 to 1980, she had a tumultuous relationship with Burt Reynolds, marked by his controlling behavior, which she detailed in her memoir. Reynolds referred to their relationship as his “biggest regret” in his 2015 memoir, “But Enough About Me.”
Field revealed that she and Reynolds had not spoken for 30 years before his death. She described their relationship as “confusing, complicated, and hurtful,” drawing parallels to her troubled relationship with her stepfather, who abused her when she was 14.
Field later discovered that her mother knew about the abuse but believed her husband’s lie that it was a one-time incident. Field wrote her memoir to understand and forgive her mother after her death.
Sally Field Today
Today, Sally Field enjoys spending time with her grandkids, playing video games in a room that also houses her Oscars and Emmys. She remains active in her career, with her film “Spoiler Alert” set to release next week and another film, “80 for Brady,” coming in 2023.
Steven Spielberg, her friend and the director of “Lincoln,” praised her, saying, “As an actor, she defied Hollywood’s attempts to typecast her and broke through barriers to achieve great roles in film and television.
Her good taste and persistence have allowed her to survive our changing culture, stand the test of time, and secure her unique place in history.”