Sally Field has spent decades portraying some of Hollywood’s most memorable women—but there’s one type of role the Oscar-winning actress says she has no interest in taking.
Field Wants a Role With Depth
In a new interview published with People on Thursday, May 7, the beloved actress explained that stories centered solely around women trying to find romance simply don’t appeal to her anymore.
“I never take to stories about women that are trying to find a man,” Field shared. “I didn’t like it then, and it doesn’t appeal to me now, because I think women are about so much more. Life is so much more complicated than that.”
The comment reflects the philosophy that has shaped much of Field’s legendary career.
Over more than six decades in Hollywood, the actress has become known for portraying layered, resilient women in projects ranging from “Norma Rae” and “Places in the Heart” to “Steel Magnolias,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Forrest Gump.”
Field, now 79, has long gravitated toward stories that explore identity, resilience, grief, and human connection rather than conventional romance arcs.
Field Is Set to Star in ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’
Her latest project appears to continue that trend.
The actress is set to star in the upcoming film adaptation of “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” a story she says immediately resonated with her when she first encountered the novel.
“It came to me very early in galleys of the book,” Field explained while speaking to the Los Angeles Times. “I read a few chapters and said, ‘Yeah, let’s find a way to set this up and get it made.’”
Still, bringing the adaptation to life proved to be a lengthy process.
“It was a long haul to get it to where it is and to get the screenplay right because it’s a wonderful and complicated little book and all of the pieces had to be in place,” she said. “You can’t lose the magic.”
In the film, Field portrays Tova, a widow living in a small fictional coastal town in Washington state.
While working night shifts cleaning a local aquarium, Tova forms an unlikely bond with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus, voiced by Alfred Molina.
The unusual friendship becomes the emotional heart of the story, helping connect Tova with a struggling young man named Cameron, played by Lewis Pullman.
Field Loves the Ocean
For Field, the film’s deeper themes are what made the project stand out.
“It’s an homage to ocean creatures and to creatures altogether,” she said. “Human beings have an extraordinary connection to creatures.”
She added that the story also carries an environmental message that feels increasingly urgent.
“In a lot of ways, [the film] is about the planet and losing these creatures and losing the sea life,” Field explained. “These marvelous, magical creatures that live in the ocean.”
The actress didn’t shy away from expressing concern about the current state of the world either.
“We’re ruining our oceans. We’re ruining the planet,” she said. “We’re killing each other. Is anything good happening? I don’t know. But in this little movie, there are some good things happening and that’s nice to do in the midst of everything.”
