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Sally Field Calls Burt Reynolds Relationship “Complicated” Amid Oscar Wins

5/10/2026

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Summary

Sally Field Recalls

Sally Field ended her relationship with Burt Reynolds in 1980, called it “complicated,” “wonderful,” and “frightening,” and said in a 2026 AP interview that the years with him remain indelible.
Burt Reynolds opposed Sally Field taking the 1979 film Norma Rae, which earned her an Oscar nomination.
Sally Field attended the 52nd Academy Awards in 1980, won an Oscar, and earned a second Oscar in 1985 for Places in the Heart.

Summary

Field Defies Reynolds

Burt Reynolds misplaced the Norma Rae script and attempted to block Sally Field, calling the script vulgar and criticizing her past.
Field refused to be intimidated, stating “This is the better of me.”
After meeting director Marty Ritt, she accepted the Norma Rae part despite Reynolds’ objections.
Her performance earned her the Best Actress Oscar for Norma Rae at the 1979 ceremony, marking the start of her professional independence.

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Sally Field Recalls

Sally Field ended her relationship with Burt Reynolds in 1980, called it “complicated,” “wonderful,” and “frightening,” and said in a 2026 AP interview that the years with him remain indelible.
Burt Reynolds opposed Sally Field taking the 1979 film Norma Rae, which earned her an Oscar nomination.
Sally Field attended the 52nd Academy Awards in 1980, won an Oscar, and earned a second Oscar in 1985 for Places in the Heart.

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