At 78, Sally Field Was Called ‘Ugly’ For Embracing Aging Naturally But She Has Her Beloved Family For Support

Apr 19, 2023

Sally Field is a Hollywood legend, having worked in the industry since the early 1960s. With a career spanning close to six full decades, it's no surprise that Sally has been honored and recognized for her incredible work and talent over the years. She has been a knockout star in films and television series and has also shown her strengths as a director. On top of that, Sally has a beautiful heart of gold and has dedicated time to being an activist.

Sally was born on Nov. 8, 1946, in Pasadena, California. Her father served in the military during World War II, and his relationship with Sally's mom, actress Margaret Field, didn't last. Margaret later married actor and stuntman, Jock Mahoney. As someone surrounded by fame, it's no surprise that Sally went on to establish herself as an outstanding actress. She first starred in television series, including "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun." 

The revered actress has withstood the test of time. She graciously accepted her Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award on Feb. 26, 2023, where she gave an impassioned anecdote of her thrilling career in film and television. 

The 78-year-old actress looked as timeless as her acting roles, proving that despite her age, her humility and wisdom continue to accentuate the beauty and elegance that many have loved her for. 

But the journey to accepting and embracing her age has been quite difficult for Sally as she has an underlying health condition that has affected her body. Apart from this, she has faced criticism about her appearance. Thankfully, Sally has her family to lean on and from whom she has drawn strength and confidence. Read on to learn more about Sally, her health condition and her family. 

On many occasions, Sally has opened up about her thoughts on ageism in Hollywood — a highly-debated issue mostly among women. On the internet and in the media, women have been subjected to unfair beauty standards and criticisms about their appearance. Actresses and personalities, especially those who are getting older, are being slammed for resorting to altering their appearance through cosmetic surgeries in an effort to mask their age. 

As for Sally, she has always been reluctant to go under the knife, as revealed in her Good Housekeeping 2009 interview. 

"I see myself on TV and I say, 'Oh, I wish that weren't happening to my neck. And your face is falling down, and your eyes are so puffy.' But then I see some of the women (who have had plastic surgery) who I thought when they were younger were so beautiful. Now I think, Oh, dear, don’t do that! And it seems to be terribly disrespectful to who they are now.”

As years go by, Sally withstood the test of time and still bagged roles, albeit not as big as those she got in her younger years. Despite this, it did not falter her point of view about ageism. 

In an NPR interview in 2019 about her movie “Hello, My Name is Doris,” Sally reflected on her age and expressed her acceptance of the things that come as a result of aging. 

“I'm an old woman, 70 is old, and that's OK,” Sally said at the time. "I've gathered strength behind my years, I owned them, I've earned them, I've deserved them, I have a right to have them. And I don't like my neck, I don't like a lot of things but it's OK.”

Unbeknownst to many, Sally has an underlying health condition that has affected her appearance. In an interview with WebMD in 2006, a year after she revealed she has osteoporosis, Sally confessed that she has speculated all along that she would be at risk. 

“I was thin, small-boned, Caucasian, and heading towards age 60. But I was amazed at how quickly a woman could go from being at risk to having full-fledged osteoporosis.” 

According to the National Health Institute, Osteoporosis is a common bone disease that develops when bone density and bone mass decrease. Notably, it is the lack of estrogen that women experience when they are heading toward menopause that triggers it, as the hormone is needed to maintain bone density. 

Because of this, Sally has been criticized on social media for her appearance, with people calling her “ugly,” “absolutely sickening,” and even mocking her for getting saggy. Despite all of that, the Oscar-winning actress remained unfazed and has drawn strength, confidence, and support from her own family. 

Sally first married Steven Craig in 1968, and they had two sons — Peter Craig and Eli Craig. Peter became a famed screenwriter, while Eli became an actor and a director. The couple divorced in 1975. Sally began dating Burt Reynolds, a few years later but eventually married Alan Greisman in 1984. They had Sam Greisman before divorcing in 1994. 

"The three things I'm most proud of in my life are my sons. They are kind, loving, and productive people. Each with their own list of talents and accomplishments,” Sally gushed to Closer Weekly.

Sally has since been enjoying her time as a grandmother to her five grandchildren after downsizing her home in Malibu to an ocean-view mansion worth $2.3 million in the gated community of Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.  

Are you a fan of Sally Field? What can you say about her thoughts on aging? Do you agree with her? Do you think she deserved the criticism she received? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Sally Field fans!