Sally Field reveals funeral scene in Steel Magnolias took piece of her soul
Sally Field has reflected on the emotional demands of filming a pivotal moment in Steel Magnolias, describing the lasting impact it had on her and the rest of the cast.
Sally Field has said filming the funeral scene in Steel Magnolias “cost” her emotionally.
Describing the experience as one that left a lasting impact on both her and the cast, the actress, 79, who built a career spanning television hits such as Brothers and Sisters and acclaimed films including Forrest Gump, made the statements while reflecting on the production of 1989’s Steel Magnolias in an interview with Parade.
The hit film, based on Robert Harling’s stage play, centred on a group of women in the American South navigating friendship, illness and loss.
Sally portrayed M’Lynn Eatenton, whose daughter Shelby – played by Julia Roberts – dies following complications linked to type 1 diabetes after childbirth.
Recalling the filming of the funeral for her on-screen daughter, Sally said: “You don't just think of it as, ‘Oh, it’s just another day of the office’.”
She added: “It takes a part of your soul. It costs you. It cost every one of us. And we get a great deal of return from it because we learn from it.”
Sally continued: “We were certainly bonded in it, holding each other's hands the whole time. But it’s not just a job.”
The scene, widely regarded as one of the most memorable in the film, depicts M’Lynn’s grief unfolding in a graveyard as she moves through shock and anger. Sally’s performance includes the line: “I want to know why!” – followed by: “No – it’s not supposed to happen this way. I’m supposed to go first.”
She also cries out: “I just want to hit something, hit it hard!”
The sequence has remained a defining moment in Sally’s career and continues to be revisited in discussions of emotional performances in cinema.
Sally also reflected on casting Julia in the role of Shelby, noting the decision was immediate despite considering more established actors.
She said: “Julia had not done very much. I read with a lot of much more established actors, and after I read with Julia, I said, ‘We’re done. We’re done. There she is’.”
The film’s ensemble cast – including Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and Olympia Dukakis – became closely bonded during production. Sally said: “We adored each other, we fought with each other, we cared for each other, and we would get together on the weekends and play games. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
Steel Magnolias received critical recognition including an Oscar nomination for Julia and a BAFTA nomination for Shirley, and remains one of Sally’s most widely recognised performances.
