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Sally Field Reveals That ‘The Flying Nun’ Was A Horrible Experience

The legendary two-time Academy Award winner Sally Field first became a household name in the 1960s when she starred in the television show “The Flying Nun.” Though this program was what made Field famous, working on it was not something that she enjoyed, and she’s revealing why in a new interview.

Field Sounds Off On ‘The Flying Nun

When asked by Variety how she motivated herself to get up every day to go work on a project that she despised like “The Flying Nun,” Field replied, “It was a job.”

“And I learned to survive things,” explained Field, 75. “It’s important to learn how to survive things, things you like, things you don’t like. I just had to put my head down and go to work and do the very best job I could.”

“And those are the things when you realize that there’s a reason why you’re eating so much but trying to hide,” she added. “You’re trying to cover up your depression. But at that point in my life, I didn’t have the skills to recognize what was happening to me[.]”

Field’s Co-Star Helped Her Through

Field credited Madeleine Sherwood, who played Mother Superior on the show, with encouraging her to look to the future, after “The Flying Nun” would come to an end.

“… [She] took me by the hand because she recognized what was going on with me at the end of the first season and took me to the Actors Studio, where I began to work with [director] Lee Strasberg,” Field recalled. “It was this big transition into my recognizing I wanted to be a real actor.”

However, even after “The Flying Nun” ended in 1970, Field struggled to make the transition from comedic television to serious films.

“… It wasn’t that I would fail an audition,” she stated. “I couldn’t get in the door. I couldn’t get on the list. And I had to change that. I felt in my heart that if you blamed other people… then you’re dead. Then you give away all your power. You’re powerless and helpless, and that is a recipe for depression. You always have to be the one that has the power. It was about me getting skilled enough that I got the role because that’s how good I am.”

‘I Knew I Had To Get Away’

“I knew I had to get away from the public eye,” Field continued. “I couldn’t be in situation-comedy television anymore. The only way to make the transition was to hope they’d forget about me. So I wanted to back away from other television offers altogether.”

Thankfully, Field stuck it out and won her first Oscar in 1979 for her work in the iconic film Norma Rae. Since then, she’s won a second Oscar and become a cinematic legend, starring in such iconic movies as Forrest Gump and Lincoln. We can all learn a lot from her tenacity, as Field stuck with acting even when it felt like all of the cards were stacked against her!

James Conrad

James Conrad’s passion for politics is only overshadowed by his longstanding interest in Hollywood. His unique perspective as a gay conservative fuels him to challenge celebrity views and those who think they have a right to tell anyone how to think or vote. James proudly wields his minority point of view to combat identity politics and cut through his typecast. Fun fact: James’ guilty pleasure is the British royal family.