Acclaimed actor Sally Kirkland, best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in Anna (1987), has died at the age of 84.
From her early days as a model in New York City to her celebrated roles alongside Paul Newman in The Sting, Barbra Streisand in The Way We Were, and Kevin Costner in Revenge, Kirkland built a fearless, unforgettable career on stage and screen.
This tribute looks back at her life, her Golden Globe–winning performance in Anna, her advocacy work, and her deep influence on generations of actors.
Kirkland passed away Tuesday morning in Palm Springs, according to her representative, Michael Greene. In recent years, she faced serious health challenges following multiple fractures and infections.
00:09Sally Kirkland, the acclaimed stage and screen actor best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in Anna, died on November 11th at the age of 84.
00:19A former model from New York City, Kirkland became a regular presence on stage, film and television.
00:25She shared the screen with legendary actors including Paul Newman and Robert Redford in The Sting, Barbara Streisand in The Way We Were and Kevin Costner in Revenge.
00:38Her most celebrated role came in 1987 with Anna, where she portrayed a fading Czech film star remaking her life in the United States while mentoring a young actress, played by Paulina Poriskova.
00:51The performance earned her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, placing her alongside Cher, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter and Meryl Streep.
01:03Kirkland's television work was equally distinguished.
01:05She held recurring roles on Criminal Minds, Felicity, Roseanne, Valley of the Dolls and Days of Our Lives.
01:13Born in New York City, Kirkland's mother was a fashion editor at Vogue & Life who encouraged her to model from the age of five.
01:21She later trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studied with Philip Burton, Richard Burton's mentor, and Lee Strasberg, the master of the Method School of Acting.
01:32Her early career was rooted in avant-garde and off-Broadway theatre, including Shakespeare in roles with the New York Shakespeare Festival.
01:39An early breakout came in Andy Warhol's The 13 Most Beautiful Women in 1964, followed by a controversial performance in Terrence McNally's Sweet Eros.
01:51Kirkland later said in a 1991 Los Angeles Times interview,
01:56I don't think any actor can really call him or herself an actor unless he or she puts in time with Shakespeare.
02:04It shows up. It always shows up in the work at some point, whether it's just not being able to have breath control, or not being able to appreciate language as poetry and music,
02:14or not having the power that Shakespeare automatically instills you with when you take on one of his characters.
02:21In recent years, Kirkland faced serious health challenges.
02:26Friends set up a GoFundMe this fall to assist with medical care after she fractured four bones – her neck, right wrist, and left hip.
02:34While recovering, she also battled infections and required hospitalisation and rehab.
02:41She passed away on Tuesday morning at a hospice in Palm Springs.
02:45Beyond the screen and stage, Kirkland was a dedicated philanthropist.
02:50She volunteered for people living with AIDS, cancer, and heart disease, fed the homeless through the American Red Cross,
02:57participated in hospice telethons, and advocated for prisoners, especially young people.
03:02Sally Kirkland's career was marked by courage, artistry, and relentless determination.
03:09As one Los Angeles critic wrote of her performance in Anna,
03:14Kirkland is one of those performers whose talent has been an open secret to her fellow actors,
03:19but something of a mystery to the general public.
03:22There should be no confusion about her identity after this blazing comet of a performance.
03:26Her talent, dedication, and humanity leave an enduring legacy across theatre, film, and television.
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