What Sally Field Has Said About Plastic Surgery Amid Rumors
Sally Field was gorgeous in her youth and has aged with remarkable grace. Throughout the years, Field has spoken about her decision to steer clear of plastic surgery, though the "Lincoln" actor admitted that getting older in the spotlight had come with difficulties. "I know a lot of actors who have difficulty watching themselves, but now, as I've reached an age, it's really hard to look at yourself (laughs)," she told the Holland Sentinel while promoting "The Amazing Spider-Man" in July 2012.
A couple of years later, in 2014, Field started dating Rob Howell — a man significantly younger than she is. At the time, rumors swirled that perhaps the "Forrest Gump" actor had decided to get work done on her face. Prior to those unfounded claims, Field had been crystal clear about being opposed to going under the knife.
The discussion dates back to 2007 when Jane Fonda revealed her true feelings about getting plastic surgery, telling Glamour that she and Field made a pact to avoid getting work done. Speaking to Good Housekeeping in 2009, Field said she did not remember making such a deal. But she confessed that even if she wasn't thrilled with every part of her looks, going under the knife wasn't on her to-do list. "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!" Field said. Early in her career, industry professionals encouraged Field to consider cosmetic surgery.
Why Sally Field fired her agent
Today, Sally Field is among the older celebs who were gorgeous when they were young, but the "Smokey and the Bandit" star said her looks were denigrated in the past. Field recalled early in her career when she told an agent that she wanted to explore acting in movies. "[H]e said, 'Well that's ridiculous. You can't do that, you can't get into film. You're not pretty enough. You're not good enough,'" Field recalled while speaking at the Simmons Leadership Conference, per People. "And I said, 'You're fired,'" she added.
In 1976, Field gave a riveting performance as the lead in the TV movie "Sybil" about a troubled woman who developed multiple personalities. While her performance was celebrated, not all the reviews were positive. "'Sybil' was coming out, and everyone said, 'Whoa, the work is extraordinary ... but man is Sally Field ugly!'" Field told The Academy of Achievement in 2008.
Field established herself as a film actor by the late '70s and throughout the '80s, but she was continually nudged to consider surgery. "After you're in the spotlight for a long time, people, both men and women, are forever whispering names of surgeons in your ear," she told the Los Angeles Times in 1988. Field said at the time she did have a cosmetic procedure to fix a sagging eyelid that was caused by injury. Later in her career, she became a shining example of aging in Hollywood without going under the knife.
Sally Field's silver locks
After starring in the film "Hello, My Name is Doris" in 2016, there was a lot of discussion about how Sally Field did not try to conceal her age for the role. "I've gathered strength behind my years," Field told NPR at the time. That did not mean she was completely happy with every aspect of growing older. "And I don't like my neck, I don't like a lot of things but it's OK, it's OK. Behind my years I have value," she added.
Field may have admitted being unhappy with her appearance at times, but she has done little to mask her age. Not only has the "Steel Magnolias" avoided plastic surgery, but she has even embraced her natural gray hair color. Field was photographed out and about in 2021 with her silver locks, and sported the same hair color on the red carpet for the 2022 premiere of "Spoiler Alert," a film she starred in alongside Jim Parsons.
Field's gray hair was on-brand as she made the media rounds for 2023's "80 For Brady" co-starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Rita Moreno. The topic of age came up during a group interview with the co-stars for AARP, and Field shared words of wisdom. "You're never too old for the next chapter," she said in January 2023.