There are films that are recognized for their impressive cast, and how each member of the cast put their best foot forward. The 1994 film Forrest Gump is one of such films, Sally Field, whose work has not gone unnoticed, was one of the people who made sure that Forrest Gump is the timeless piece it is today. But Field’s excellence is not limited to this film alone, and in the course of her career, she gave performances that have consolidated her talent as an actress.
Who Is Sally Field And How Did She Become Famous?
Sally Margaret Field was born in Pasadena, California on the 6th of November, 1946. When she was 4, her parents got divorced and her mother, Margaret Morlan, got remarried to an actor named Jock Mahoney. When Field wrote her memoir, she claimed that while growing up, Mahoney had sexually been abusive towards her.
For her high school education, Field went to Birmingham High School which is located in Van Nuys.
When Sally Field’s career began, like most actors, she only got small roles and all her earliest roles were in television shows. The actress’ debut was in Gidget, a television show that got canceled after its first season. Her next appearance was in The Flying Nun, a TV show she was on for 3 years. Following The Flying Nun, Field, unfortunately, kept landing roles in unsuccessful television shows. She also got typecast and was often made to play a naive young girl, but after she trained under the iconic Lee Strasberg, she revolutionized her image.
With the transformation, Sally Field got the opportunity to play the titular character in the television film, Sybil. In the following year, 1977, she won the Emmy for the best dramatic actress. The performance and the Emmy was the breakthrough she needed in her career which transitioned from her getting typecast in television shows to starring in movies.
Sally Field’s Career Highlights
The year she won her first Emmy, 1977, was also the same year she started to get cast in films. Smokey And The Bandit, the classic film, featured the actress alongside Burt Reynolds. The film was such a huge success that it went on to be the second highest-grossing film of that year. 1979’s Norma Rae, was another very successful film and it gave the actress her first Oscar; she received her 2nd Oscar for playing Edna Spalding in the 1984 film, Places In The Heart.
The years between 1977 and 1989 were her most active years in which she had leading roles in films. By the early 90s, she started getting relegated to supporting roles. Mrs. Doubtfire, Soap Dish, Steel Magnolias & Forrest Gump are some of her most notable films from that period.
Why Did People Think She Was Dead?
Having a successful career like the one that Sally Field has had, opens one up to all sorts of rumors and the actress was not immune to this phenomenon. The talented actress has also faced rumors that she has passed away. The rumors circulated during a period when the actress was still acting and as such, did not hold water.
It has never been revealed why these rumors spread or how they even began. However, she is not the only celebrity who has been rumored to be dead when they weren’t; other celebrities who have been subjects of death hoaxes include Bill Nye, Morgan Freeman, Celine Dion, William H. Macy, and Betty White, among others.
What Has Sally Field Been Up To Since?
As already stated, when the rumor of Sally Field’s death was in circulation, she was still acting and bagging roles in major films and television shows. Field has also taken up directing; The Christmas Tree, Beautiful and From the Earth to the Moon are some of the works she is known to have directed.
The Amazing Spider-Man, Hello, My Name is Doris, Legally Blonde and Lincoln are some of her more recent films, all of which were successful at the box office and with critics. For Lincoln, the actress received numerous nominations from different award bodies including, BAFTA, Oscars and Golden Globes.
In 2001, Field made her theatre debut with a role in The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? However, she did not act in any other play until 16 years after when she played Amanda Wingfield in the play The Glass Menagerie; for her role, she was nominated for a Tony Award. The actress has also taken to writing; she published her memoir, In Pieces, in 2018.
Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.
