Couples
Sally Field Says Burt Reynolds Was Not Supportive of Her 1980 Oscar Win: ‘He Was Not a Nice Guy’
Sally Field is opening up about her tumultuous relationship with Burt Reynolds and some of the not-so-glamorous moments.
“He really was not a nice guy around me then,” the Mrs. Doubtfire actress recalled in Dave Karger’s book 50 Oscar Nights, out on January 23.
Sally, 77, revealed that Reynolds expressed hesitancy to attend the Oscars with her in 1980, declaring he “was not going to go.” Ultimately, the Sybil alum ended up tagging along with David Steinberg and wife Judy Marcione at the Academy Awards that year. She was glad that her friends stepped up and supported her during that time.
“Then David said, ‘Well, for God’s sakes, we’ll take you,’” Sally shared. “He and Judy made it a big celebration. They picked me up in a limousine and had champagne in the car. They made it just wonderful fun.”
That night, she ended up taking home the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Norma Rae. Even at one of the most pivotal moments in her acting career, Reynolds still “was not happy” at that point in their relationship.
It wasn’t the only instance of the Gunsmoke alum’s lack of support for Sally at the time.
“He did not want me to go to Cannes [Film Festival] at all,” Sally reflected. “He said, ‘You don’t think you’re going to win anything, do you?’”
The pair dated for five years before ending their relationship in the early ‘80s. He went on to marry actress Loni Anderson in 1988, but their marriage ended in 1994. They adopted one child during their marriage, son Quinton.
Reynolds died in September 2018 at age 82 from a heart attack. Sally released a statement after learning of his passing.
“There are times in your life that are so indelible, they never fade away,” she said. “They stay alive, even 40 years later. My years with Burt never leave my mind. He will be in my history and my heart, for as long as I live. Rest, Buddy.”
Sally, who was married to Alan Greisman from 1984 to 1994, hadn’t spoken to Reynolds in the 30 years leading up to his death. Still, she remembered him and their history in her 2018 memoir, In Pieces.
“I’ve always thought of him rather nostalgically … He was a very important part of my life, but for a tiny little part of my life,” the Emmy winner said. “It was so hugely important in my own existence, my own movement as a person.”
