The Amazing Spider-Man Actress Sally Field Reveals Burt Reynolds Hated She Was Getting More Famous Than Him: “He was really not a nice guy”
In a new interview, The Amazing Spider-Man actress Sally Field is revealing details about her past relationship with fellow actor Burt Reynolds, claiming he was unhappy about and unsupportive of her rising stardom. Field says Reynolds “was not a nice guy” when she started getting more famous than him after starring in 1979’s Norma Rae, for which she won her first Best Actress Oscar. Reynolds apparently didn’t even want to accompany her to the Academy Awards ceremony that year.
Was Burt Reynolds Happy for Sally Field’s Success?
According to People, “He really was not a nice guy around me then,” Sally Field discloses in the new book 50 Oscar Nights. She says Reynolds “was not going to go” with her to the 1980 Oscars, where she ultimately won for Norma Rae.
This jealousy allegedly started even earlier, with Burt Reynolds not wanting Field to attend the Cannes Film Festival for Norma Rae. “He said, ‘You don’t think you’re going to win anything, do you?'” Field recalls of Reynolds’ unsupportive words.
Ultimately, she went without Reynolds as her date, instead attending with comedian David Steinberg and his wife. They celebrated Field’s first Oscar win in style while Reynolds sulked.
Also Read: The Amazing Spider-Man Actor Never Wanted To Be in the Film That Became Her Career’s Biggest Regret
How Complicated Was Sally Field and Burt Reynolds’ Relationship?
Sally Field and Burt Reynolds dated for five years after meeting on the set of Smokey and the Bandit in the late 1970s. But as evident from Reynolds’ bad attitude about her success, the relationship was far from smooth.
Field says they didn’t speak for the last 30 years of Reynolds’ life before he died in 2018. She’s previously characterized him as an important but brief part of her life. It seems his jealousy over her rising fame drove an irreparable wedge between them.
Reynolds publicly admitted regret about letting Field get away after their split, calling her the one he should have married. But his actions paint the picture of a man threatened by his girlfriend’s burgeoning success and stardom.
Sally Field’s Career
While Burt Reynolds faded from the spotlight later in life, Sally Field has enjoyed a remarkable 55-year career in Hollywood. After getting her start on TV in sitcoms like Gidget and The Flying Nun, she transitioned seamlessly to film.
Her role as mill worker turned activist Norma Rae earned widespread praise and marked her arrival as a serious dramatic actress. She went on to win a second Best Actress Oscar for 1984’s Places in the Heart.
Other major roles included Smokey and the Bandit with Reynolds, Steel Magnolias, Mrs. Doubtfire, Forrest Gump, and as Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man films. At 77, Field is still going strong with acclaimed performances in projects like Maniac, Hello, My Name is Doris, and 80 for Brady. She’s conquered TV, film, and theater in a legendary career.
