Sally Field, a celebrated and iconic figure in Hollywood, has graced audiences with her remarkable talent and unforgettable roles for decades. Known for her emotional depth and versatility, the 76-year-old actress has had a long list of on-screen romances throughout her career, and naturally, that includes plenty of on-screen kisses.
However, during a recent interview, she revealed something that surprised many of her fans—her worst on-screen kiss. Though hesitant at first to name names, she eventually disclosed the identity of the costar responsible for the least enjoyable kiss of her career, and it turned out to be none other than her former partner, Burt Reynolds. With a career that spans from light-hearted sitcoms like Gidget and The Flying Nun to powerful films like Steel Magnolias, where her emotional performance during the funeral scene left a lasting impression, Field has never shied away from challenging roles. She also won hearts in classics like Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Erin Brockovich.
Born in Pasadena, California, into a working-class entertainment family, Sally’s rise to stardom wasn’t without obstacles. Her memoir revealed painful memories of her stepfather’s abuse and a secret abortion at the age of 17, experiences that deeply impacted her life but also seemed to fuel her incredible strength and authenticity. Despite such a difficult start, she blossomed into a humble and graceful actress, admired not just for her work but for her resilience. In recent years, she’s remained active in television, playing Janice in the 2020 series Dispatches From Elsewhere and portraying Jessie Buss in the 2022 hit show Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, which dramatizes the story of the legendary 1980s Los Angeles Lakers. Her continued presence in the industry also means occasional interviews, and on the December 1 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, she found herself fielding a bold question from a fan about her worst on-screen kiss.
Laughing and unsure whether to respond, Sally joked, “Oh boy. Shall I really name names here?” Andy Cohen encouraged her to go for it, and she finally gave in with a smile, saying, “Okay. This is going to be a shocker. Hold on folks.” When she revealed that her least favorite kiss was with Burt Reynolds, fans were stunned. After all, the two were not only co-stars in Smokey and the Bandit but also a real-life couple for about five years. Cohen quickly followed up, asking, “But weren’t you dating at the time?” Field confirmed that they were indeed dating during filming but noted that when it came to kissing scenes, it just wasn’t a pleasant experience. She admitted she had to “look the other way” while filming because it “just was not something he really did for you.”
She went further, describing the kisses as being filled with too much “drooling” on Reynolds’ part, a detail that made the moment more awkward than romantic. While Reynolds had spoken publicly and fondly about their relationship, even expressing regret in his memoir But Enough About Me that he hadn’t done more to make it work, Field painted a different picture. In a March interview with Variety, she explained that she hadn’t spoken to Reynolds during the last 30 years of his life. She said, “He was not someone I could be around. He was just not good for me in any way.” She added that Reynolds had romanticized their relationship in his mind and convinced himself she meant more to him than she really did. “He just wanted to have the thing he didn’t have,” she explained. “I just didn’t want to deal with that.” Her candid reflection offered fans a deeper look into the complexities of their relationship, reminding us all that what looks magical on screen doesn’t always translate to real life. Sally Field continues to be admired not only for her extraordinary talent but also for her honesty, grace, and strength in sharing her truth, both professionally and personally.
