Sally Field Reveals Why Burt Reynolds Refused To Be Her Date To The Oscars In 1980

Ron Galella Collection / Getty Images

Sally Field is getting candid on why Burt Reynolds refused to be her date for the 52nd Annual Academy Awards.

Sally Field Says Burt Reynolds Refused to Attend the Oscars With Her in 1980

In the revealing pages of Dave Karger’s upcoming book, “50 Oscar Nights,” Hollywood icon Sally Field opened up about an untold moment in her life that unfolded during the 52nd Academy Awards in 1980.

The acclaimed actress, who was then 33, had just won her very first Oscar for “Best Actress” thanks to her role in “Norma Rae,” but her triumph was overshadowed by the absence of her then-boyfriend, Burt Reynolds.

Field, now 77, disclosed that Reynolds, who she met on the set of Smokey and the Bandit, had refused to accompany her to the ceremony. In the book, set to be released on January 23, Field says that Reynolds wasn’t happy with the amount of attention she was garnering for her outstanding performance in “Norma Rae,” according to PEOPLE.

“He was not a nice guy around me then,” Field candidly reveals, shedding light on Reynolds’ resentment toward the buzz surrounding her career at the time. The actress disclosed that as the award ceremony approached, Reynolds made it clear that he “was not going to go” as her date.

Despite the emotional blow, Field continued to celebrate her success, tagging alongside actor and comedian David Steinburg and his wife, Judy, who stepped out with her to show support.

The complicated dynamics between Sally Field and Burt Reynolds during this time in her career, as unveiled in “50 Oscar Nights,” provides an intimate glimpse into the complexities of their relationship, adding another layer to the narrative of their five-year romance.

Shortly before his death, Burt Reynolds openly discussed his connection with Sally Field. In a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair, Reynolds admitted that Fields was, in the end, the “love of his life,” expressing regret that he “was so stupid” to let her slip away.

Watch Sally Field accept her first Academy Award for “Norma Rae” below: