In a stunning revelation, Sally Field, the esteemed actress, shared details about her past relationship with Burt Reynolds during her momentous win at the 52nd Academy Awards in 1980 for her role in Norma Rae.
Despite her triumph on the awards stage, Field disclosed that her then-beau, Burt Reynolds, expressed discontent with her growing success in the spotlight.
In Dave Karger’s upcoming book, 50 Oscar Nights, Field unveils how Reynolds declined to accompany her to the Oscars and even discouraged her from participating in other prestigious events linked to her Norma Rae accolades.
Painting a picture of a jealous partner, Field described Reynolds as unsupportive and ‘not nice’ during that period of her life, indicating his displeasure with the recognition she was garnering for her stellar performance.
Field, now 77 years old, won her first Best Actress Oscar that year but attended the ceremony without Reynolds by her side.
Instead, she was accompanied by her friend David Steinberg and his wife, Judy Marcione.
Reynolds had allegedly dissuaded Field from attending the 1979 Cannes Film Festival where Norma Rae was set to premiere, questioning her chances of winning any awards.
Contrary to his beliefs, Field emerged victorious as the Best Actress winner at Cannes, further straining their relationship.
Despite Reynolds’ lack of support, Field received encouragement from her friends at the Oscars, with Steinberg and Marcione making the evening memorable by providing a celebratory atmosphere.
The couple’s relationship, which commenced during the filming of Smokey And The Bandit in 1976 and continued through various film collaborations until 1982, faced challenges due to Reynolds’ disapproval of Field’s burgeoning career, leading to their eventual split in 1980.
Following their breakup, Reynolds experienced a decline in his career throughout the mid-1980s before resurfacing with an Oscar-nominated role in Boogie Nights in 1997.
Meanwhile, Field’s career flourished, culminating in a second Oscar win in 1985 and multiple acclaimed performances in the following years.
Despite their history, Field revealed in her memoir that she distanced herself from Reynolds post-breakup and remained estranged from him until his passing in 2018.
Reflecting on their relationship, Reynolds reportedly expressed regret over the split, acknowledging his mistakes and the potential for a different outcome had they stayed together.
