A Two‑Time Oscar Winner Returns to The View With Stories, Wisdom, and That Signature Sally Spark
Double Oscar winner Sally Field stopped by The View to revisit her iconic film résumé — from Soapdish to Steel Magnolias to Mrs. Doubtfire — and to open up about her newest project, “Remarkably Bright Creatures.” The audience erupted the moment she walked out, and Sally immediately slipped into her familiar mix of warmth, wit, and razor‑sharp honesty.
Sally Field turns six decades of women on screen into living history
From Norma Rae grit to Steel Magnolias heartbreak and Soapdish comedy, Sally’s career still feels like a masterclass in emotional range.
On “Soapdish,” Soap Operas, and 35 Years of Chaos and Glamour
Whoopi reminded Sally that Soapdish turns 35 years old this month. Sally laughed, remembering how the film was born from her lunchtime obsession with soap operas while shooting Steel Magnolias:
“I would go in and say, ‘What time is it? Is General Hospital on?’”
Writer Bobby Harling teased her endlessly — then turned her soap‑opera devotion into the cult classic we know today.
She also cracked up at an old Entertainment Weekly piece claiming she wanted to play “a ***** with a heart of gold,” and that costume designer Nolan Miller was warned she’d only wear pantsuits. Sally shrugged it off with a grin.
On Her New Film “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Field’s latest role is Tova, a widowed night custodian at an aquarium who forms an unexpected bond with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. The film adapts the bestselling 2022 novel — a book Sally says she fell for instantly:
“I read two chapters and said, ‘Yes, yes.’ The story of an old woman, a young man, and an octopus does not come around a lot.”
She described shooting among real tanks and real creatures, plus a visit to the Vancouver Aquarium, which she called “spectacular.”
Sally also revealed she spent months helping refine the screenplay to preserve the book’s delicate emotional threads:
“It’s a delicate piece of lace… I was a pain in everybody’s butt.”
Her connection to Marcellus — real or not — was deeply felt:
“I knew his face. I knew his touch. He was there.”
And yes, she joked about the octopus being “handsy.”
Related: Netflix’s Latest Trailer for “Remarkably Bright Creatures” Starring Sally Field
On Women in Hollywood — Then and Now
Sally reflected on playing powerhouse women like Norma Rae and Edna Spalding, and whether she felt a shift happening in Hollywood at the time.
She and Whoopi agreed: there was a moment when complex female‑led films flourished — but it didn’t fully last.
“It’s always going to be a fight until women are running the world.”
She admitted she’s turned down many “older woman looking for a date” scripts. She’s done that already — she’s not interested in repeating herself.
On Why She Never Watches Her Own Films
In one of the most candid moments, Sally revealed she never revisits her work:
“It always costs you to do emotional work… you leave a little chunk of your soul along the way.”
She prefers to let audiences enjoy the films while she moves forward, changed by each character but not eager to relive the process.
Still a Master at Her Craft
The hosts closed by praising Sally’s unmatched legacy — and urging viewers to watch “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” streaming Friday, May 8th on Netflix.
It’s a role that blends everything she does best: emotional depth, humor, vulnerability, and that unmistakable Sally Field humanity.
