Reynolds said that despite having several flings throughout his life, he only had one real love. In an astonishingly honest interview, he stated that Hollywood actress Sally Fields was the lady he would remember for the rest of his life.
In 1977, they met on the set of Smokey and the Bandit.
Reynolds fell madly in love with Field, and he would later admit that he was the one who put up the battle to get Field to work on Smokey and the Bandit. The directors, though, weren’t convinced and didn’t believe that the actress was “sexy enough”. But Burt stuck up for the actress, and Fields was finally cast.
The celebrity pair appeared to be a match made in heaven and proceeded to co-star in films, including 1978’s “Hooper and the End.” Fields was pleased with Burt for a time. She added that she wished to be all he ever desired and that he provided her a sense that she was sexy.
Burt and Sally dated on and off for over five years, and the press watched every move they took. But they chose to split up in 1980. Unfortunately, the storybook romance did not work out, and it was far more difficult than people assumed.
Sally recounted in her memoirs how much the attractive star award-winning actor dominated his partner.
By the time they met, the weight of his celebrity had become a tool for Burt to dominate everybody around him, and it was a way to control her from the moment she stepped through the door. In her biography, In Pieces, Sally Fields wrote: They were a great mix of defects.
Blindly, she fell into a hole that had long since developed in her path, a pre-programmed conduct as if she had committed a soul-binding promise to this man in the past.
What might have been the start of something lovely and a love tale for the ages turned into a nightmare for Sally.
Following their divorce, both stars went on and began seeing other individuals. Burt, on the other hand, never forgot Sally Fields and confessed that the fallout was most likely his fault.
The actor maintained his sorrow for more than 40 years, and Sally declined to communicate with him until Burt’s last years. In reality, she hadn’t spoken to him in decades, and the Steel Magnolias actress refused to have any type of interaction with her ex.
The true cause for the split was never revealed, however there were allegations that Burt was cheating on Fields. It was really humiliating for Sally when the reports came in, and she felt like a fool.
Nonetheless, in the aftermath of his death, Fields chose to step out and disclose something that would have definitely shattered Burt’s heart.
“There are instances in ones life that are so unforgettable, they never fade away, she reportedly stated. They are still living, even after forty years. Her time with Burt will never be forgotten. He will remain a part of his history and her heart for the rest of her life.
In 2018, the popular actor, 82, apparently died of a heart attack while surrounded by his family.
Sally, now 76, spoke about her sincere and honest sentiments for Burt and their relationship.
She has always thought of him nostalgically… He was a very vital part of her life, although only for a very short time. She was only with him for maybe three years, and then maybe another two years on and off. But it was so crucial to her own existence, to her own development as a human.
Sally also expressed gratitude that Burt died before she could publish her memories. Burt, based on the actress, would be offended by several of the book’s parts. She, for example, characterized her ex-lover as puzzling, difficult, and unpleasant.
She was relieved that he wasn’t going to read it, that he wouldn’t be questioned about it, and that he wouldn’t have to justify himself or lash out, which he definitely would have, she added.
Though Burt was granted a second opportunity at his wonderful relationship with Sally Fields, we hope that wherever he is today, he is aware that she had affections for him long after they were separated.
