Sally Field truly hated him more than anyone. Sally Field was born Sally Margaret Field on November 6th, 1946 in Pasadena, California. Field’s path to stardom began with humble roots. Her mother, Margaret Field, was also an actress and her stepfather, Jock Mahoney, was a stuntman and actor. These early family ties to Hollywood introduced her to the entertainment world, but her journey was far from effortless.
Sally’s childhood was marked by emotional challenges and the difficulties of living in a blended family. She often described herself as shy and insecure, yet her natural talent and charisma soon shone through. After graduating from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, she landed her first big break in television, a moment that would define the start of her career.
In 1965, Sally Field became a household name as the star of Gidget, a light-hearted sitcom about a spirited teenage surfer. The show only lasted one season, but it showcased her radiant energy and comedic timing, instantly endearing her to audiences. Not long after, she took on another iconic role in The Flying Nun, 1967 to 1970, where she played Sister Bertrille, a cheerful nun who could literally fly.
Though the series was popular, Field later admitted she struggled with being typecast as a cute, perky girl, yearning instead for more serious and meaningful roles. This period in her life marked a turning point, a time when she fought to redefine herself as an actress capable of more than just sitcom charm.
Determined to evolve beyond her television image, Field began studying acting with the legendary Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. The experience transformed her craft and gave her the confidence to pursue deeper, more emotionally challenging roles. Her persistence paid off when she delivered a stunning performance in the 1976 made-for-TV movie Sybil, portraying a young woman with dissociative identity disorder.
The role required extraordinary emotional range and Field’s performance was universally acclaimed, earning her an Emmy Award and permanently altering the trajectory of her career. For the first time, Hollywood began to see Sally Field not as a lightweight TV actress, but as a serious dramatic talent. Her success in Sybil opened the door to film roles that would showcase her full range.
In 1979, she starred in Norma Rae, a powerful drama about a Southern mill worker who becomes a union activist. The role resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike, as Field brought authenticity, grit, and passion to the character. Her portrayal earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress and her heartfelt acceptance speech, “You like me, you really like me.
” became one of the most quoted moments in Oscar history, symbolizing both her relief and her joy at finally being recognized for her talent. Throughout the 1980s, Field continued to shine in a diverse array of roles. She starred alongside Burt Reynolds, with whom she also shared a romantic relationship, in Smokey and the Bandit, 1977, and The End, 1978.
Though their relationship eventually ended, it played a significant role in her personal and professional life, as both actors became one of Hollywood’s most talked-about couples. Field also gave memorable performances in Places in the Heart, 1984, for which she won her second Academy Award, and Steel Magnolias, 1989, a film that showcased her ability to blend strength and vulnerability as a mother coping with love and loss.
In the decades that followed, Sally Field continued to prove her enduring power as an actress. She appeared in Forrest Gump, 1994, as Tom Hanks’s loving mother, a role that became iconic in its own right. Later, she transitioned seamlessly into television once again, earning acclaim for her work in ER and Brothers and Sisters, where she played the matriarch of a complex modern family, a performance that earned her another Emmy.
Even as she entered her 70s, Field continued to take on roles that challenged her, including her Broadway performance in The Glass Menagerie and her portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, 2012, for which she received yet another Oscar nomination. Beyond her on-screen accomplishments, Sally Field has also been an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and mental health awareness.
Her openness about her struggles with self-esteem and her candid memoir, In Pieces, 2018, gave fans an intimate glimpse into her personal life, her triumphs, heartbreaks, and resilience. The memoir revealed the strength behind her vulnerability, resonating with readers who admired her courage and authenticity.
Sally Field’s personal life, much like her illustrious career, has been filled with moments of love, partnership, and personal growth that reflect her strength and independence as both a woman and an artist. Her first marriage was to Steven Craig, whom she wed in 1968, at a time when she was still emerging from her early television fame in Gidget and The Flying Nun.
The marriage coincided with a transformative period in her life, both personally and professionally, as she worked to redefine herself beyond the light-hearted roles that had brought her initial fame. Though Field and Craig officially divorced in 1975, they had been separated since 1973, a period during which Field began to pursue more mature and challenging acting roles that would soon redefine her career.
Together, the couple had two sons, Peter Craig, born in 1969, and Eli Craig, born in 1972. Both of her sons went on to achieve creative success in Hollywood, following in their mother’s artistic footsteps. Peter became a respected novelist and screenwriter, contributing to major films such as The Town, 2010, and Top Gun: Maverick, 2022, while Eli became known as both an actor and a director, earning acclaim for his dark comedy, Tucker and Dale vs.
Evil, 2010. Field has often spoken of her pride in her sons, emphasizing the closeness of their family and how motherhood grounded her throughout her turbulent years in the entertainment industry. After the end of her marriage to Craig, Field entered into one of the most talked-about relationships of her life with Hollywood superstar Burt Reynolds.
Their romance began in 1976 and lasted until 1980, a period marked by both passion and public fascination. The two met while filming the action comedy Smokey and the Bandit, 1977, which became a box office phenomenon and turned them into one of the most beloved on-screen and off-screen couples of the late 1970s.
Their undeniable chemistry led to three more collaborations: Smokey and the Bandit II, 1980, The End, 1978, and Hooper, 1978. Off-screen, however, their relationship was as intense and complicated as it was affectionate. Field later described Reynolds as someone she deeply cared for, but also someone who struggled with vulnerability and control, which ultimately strained their bond.
Despite their breakup in 1980, they maintained an on-and-off relationship for a couple more years before parting ways permanently in 1982. In later interviews, both Field and Reynolds reflected on their time together with lingering affection, but also with a sense of unresolved emotion. Reynolds famously called Field “the love of my life” in his 2015 memoir, while Field, though fond, admitted in her own memoir, In Pieces, 2018, that their relationship had been emotionally complex and at times difficult.
In 1984, Sally Field found love again and married film producer Alan Greisman. Their relationship came at a time when Field was already established as one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses, having won two Academy Awards for Norma Rae, 1979, and Places in the Heart, 1984. With Greisman, Field welcomed her third son, Sam, in 1987, adding another bright light to her family.
Field has often spoken with warmth and admiration about Sam, who later became a writer and public advocate, and about the close-knit, supportive nature of her family life. Despite her professional success, Field always prioritized motherhood, balancing her career with raising her children, a balance she has described as both challenging and deeply rewarding.
However, as with many relationships in Hollywood, her marriage to Griesman eventually came to an end, and the couple divorced in 1994 after a decade together. Over the years, many stories have emerged from Hollywood film sets about actors clashing behind the scenes, but few rival the tension that reportedly existed between Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones.
Though both are respected, Oscar-winning actors known for their immense talent and professionalism, their working relationship during the making of Back Roads, 1981, was infamously turbulent. Sally Field, who has always been candid about her experiences in Hollywood, did not hold back when discussing her feelings toward Jones.
“I have worked with difficult men before,” she once remarked. “But Tommy was something else entirely. He was impossible to deal with. I truly hated him more than anyone I’d ever worked with.” Her words, spoken with both honesty and exhaustion, revealed the deep frustration and emotional toll the experience had on her.
At the time Back Roads was filmed, both Field and Jones were at significant points in their careers. Sally Field had already proven her dramatic range with acclaimed performances in Norma Rae, 1979, and Smokey and the Bandit, 1977, while Tommy Lee Jones was building a reputation for intensity, grit, and an almost intimidating seriousness toward his craft.
Their chemistry on screen may have seemed raw and believable, but it was largely fueled by genuine hostility off camera. Field later admitted that much of the tension in their scenes did not require acting. It was real. “Every look, every line between us was loaded,” she said. “I wasn’t pretending to be angry at him. I was.” Their conflict stemmed from fundamentally different approaches to acting.
Field was known for her emotional openness and collaborative style, while Jones was infamously brooding, methodical, and often dismissive of others’ opinions. He had a reputation for being domineering and argumentative on set, and for Field, who valued mutual respect and empathy, his attitude was intolerable. “He could be condescending,” she explained.
“He treated me like I didn’t know what I was doing, and I had already won an Academy Award. It was insulting.” Many crew members later described the atmosphere on set as tense and exhausting, with long silences and palpable animosity between the two leads. Despite their personal dislike, the film required them to share numerous intimate and emotionally charged scenes.
The irony was that their fiery interactions made their on-screen relationship electric. Critics noted the realism and edge in their performances, unaware that it was largely a reflection of genuine conflict. Field later confessed that she sometimes channeled her real frustration into the character. “I used every ounce of irritation I felt toward Tommy to fuel my performance,” she said.
“It was cathartic in a strange way.” Yet once filming wrapped, she made it clear that she would never work with him again. “I couldn’t stand being in the same room with him,” she admitted bluntly. Tommy Lee Jones, for his part, never publicly responded in detail to Field’s criticisms, but his silence spoke volumes.
Known for his gruff demeanor and dislike of Hollywood gossip, he dismissed talk of feuds as nonsense. Still, insiders confirmed that his temperament often clashed with co-stars, particularly strong-willed ones like Field, who refused to be intimidated. One crew member from Back Roads recalled, “Sally gave as good as she got.
She didn’t back down, and that only made things worse between them. It was like watching two storms collide.” In later years, Field reflected on the experience with a mix of humor and lingering irritation. “I suppose he’s a brilliant actor,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean you have to like the person. I didn’t. In fact, I hated him.” The candor of her words resonated with fans who admired her integrity and refusal to sugarcoat Hollywood realities.
She emphasized that not every working relationship, no matter how professional, can be pleasant. “People assume actors become friends after filming,” she added. “That’s not always true. Sometimes you just survive it.” Even decades later, Back Roads remains a footnote in both actors’ illustrious careers, remembered less for its story than for the explosive pairing of its stars.
While both Field and Jones went on to achieve further success, she in Places in the Heart, 1984, and Steel Magnolias, 1989, he in The Fugitive, 1993, and No Country for Old Men, 2007, their collaboration stands as a stark reminder of how creative genius can coexist with deep personal animosity. In the end, Sally Field’s feelings toward Tommy Lee Jones never softened.
Her words, sharp, honest, and deeply felt, still echo as one of Hollywood’s most striking admissions of dislike between co-stars. “He may be talented,” she concluded. “But talent doesn’t excuse cruelty. I’d rather work with anyone else.” That statement, raw and unfiltered, captures the essence of a woman who built her career on truth, passion, and the courage to speak her mind, no matter how uncomfortable that truth might be.
