Sally Field’s Secret List: The Six Names She Could Never Forgive

For decades, Sally Field was the darling of Hollywood, a woman whose smile could light up a room and whose performances won the hearts of millions.

She was Gidget, she was Norma Rae, she was the mother everyone wished they had.

But behind the accolades and the applause, there was a side of Sally Field that the world never saw—a side shaped by betrayal, disappointment, and memories she could never quite shake.

Now, at 78, Sally Field has nothing left to prove.

Her career is the stuff of legends, her legacy secure.

But as she sits in her sunny California home, she finally feels ready to talk about the six names she could never forgive—the six actors who, in her words, “did me wrong, and never looked back.

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The first name on her list is a shock to many: a beloved leading man whose charm on screen masked a coldness off it.

Sally Field remembers the first time they worked together, how excited she was to share scenes with him, how she imagined they’d become friends.

But on set, he ignored her, dismissed her ideas, and made her feel invisible.

She tried to brush it off, blaming nerves or a bad day, but it continued for weeks.

By the time filming wrapped, she knew she’d never look at him the same way again.

The second name is one that fans have long speculated about—a glamorous actress whose rivalry with Sally Field became Hollywood legend.

They were cast as sisters, but there was no sisterhood between them.

Every compliment was a backhanded one, every conversation a competition.

Sally Field tried to be gracious, tried to build a bridge, but the other actress only saw her as a threat.

Years later, they would meet at awards shows and parties, always with the same icy smiles, always pretending that nothing was wrong.

The third actor on her list was someone Sally Field once considered a mentor.

He was older, wiser, and seemed to take her under his wing.

But as the months went by, his guidance turned to control, his advice to criticism.

He undermined her confidence, questioned her choices, and made her doubt her own talent.

It took years for Sally Field to realize that his “mentorship” was really about keeping her in her place.

Looking back, she wishes she’d stood up for herself sooner.

The fourth name is perhaps the most painful.

A friend, or so she thought, who betrayed her trust in a way she never saw coming.

They shared secrets, dreams, and late-night phone calls, but when the opportunity for a big role came up, her friend went behind her back.

Sally Field found out from a tabloid, the betrayal splashed across the front page.

She confronted her friend, but the damage was done.

They haven’t spoken since.

The fifth actor is one the public adored, a comedian whose jokes always brought the house down.

But to Sally Field, his humor was often cruel, especially when the cameras weren’t rolling.

He made her the butt of his jokes, teased her about her looks, her voice, her choices.

At first, she laughed along, not wanting to seem uptight, but over time, the jokes wore her down.

Even now, she can still hear his voice in her head, mocking her at her lowest moments.

The final name on her list is a director—someone who should have been her greatest ally.

Instead, he was her harshest critic, never satisfied, always demanding more.

He pushed her to tears, berated her in front of the crew, and made her dread coming to work.

Sally Field gave the performance of her life, but it came at a cost.

She left the set feeling broken, her confidence shattered.

It took years to rebuild herself, to remember the joy she once found in acting.

Now, as she reflects on these six names, Sally Field doesn’t feel anger so much as sadness.

She wonders what might have been if they had treated her differently, if they had seen her not just as a colleague, but as a person.

She knows that Hollywood is a tough place, that egos and ambition can bring out the worst in people.

But she also knows that kindness costs nothing, and that the wounds left by cruelty can last a lifetime.

For years, Sally Field kept these stories to herself, afraid of being labeled “difficult” or “ungrateful.

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She watched as her former colleagues went on to win awards, star in blockbusters, and become household names.

She clapped politely at their successes, even as she remembered the way they made her feel.

But now, in her late seventies, she feels a freedom she’s never known before.

She speaks her truth, not to hurt, but to heal.

She wants young actors—especially young women—to know that it’s okay to stand up for themselves.

That their worth isn’t defined by the opinions of others.

That it’s possible to survive betrayal and disappointment and still come out the other side.

Sally Field has learned to forgive, if not forget.

She’s found peace in her family, her friends, and the fans who have loved her through it all.

She still acts, still finds joy in the craft that made her famous.

But she does it on her own terms, with people who respect and support her.

She’s built a new circle, one where kindness and honesty matter more than fame or fortune.

And when she looks back on her long, extraordinary career, she chooses to remember the good—the laughter, the friendships, the moments of pure magic.

But she will never forget the six names that taught her the most important lesson of all:
That true strength comes not from pretending to be perfect, but from surviving the storms and coming out stronger on the other side.

So when people ask Sally Field about her regrets, she smiles.

She’s lived, she’s learned, and she’s finally ready to let the world see the real her.

And maybe, just maybe, her story will help someone else find the courage to do the same.