Sally Field has spent decades choosing roles that dig into something true about human experience. In a rare interview, the actress looked back on one famous part she turned down — Annie Paradis in 1996’s First Wives Club — and explained why another, Mrs. Doubtfire, still resonates with families more than 30 years later.
Field didn’t mince words about her decision to pass on First Wives Club.
“I loved all those actors,” Field told Parade in an interview published April 25. “But I did turn it down.”
Sally Field Says ‘First Wives Club’ Was a Role She Just Couldn’t Do
The reason was philosophical. For Field, the film’s premise didn’t reflect the kinds of stories she believed women deserved.
“I have always had a problem with older women either wanting to get a date or looking to, like, you know, have more sex with their husband,” she said. “I just feel like there’s more for women to say, so that was just never my cup of tea.”
First Wives Club, based on the 1992 novel, follows three college friends who reunite at the funeral of a fourth friend who died by suicide after being abandoned by her husband for a younger woman. All three discover they share the same experience — each has been divorced by a husband who left for a younger partner. Rather than staying hurt, they form a pact and set out to get even. Their plan isn’t just petty revenge — it’s about exposing their exes’ hypocrisy, reclaiming their self-worth and rediscovering independence. Along the way, they use clever schemes to undermine their exes socially and financially.
As the plot unfolds, the women realize revenge alone isn’t enough. They shift toward empowerment and solidarity, ultimately using their resources to support other women in similar situations. The film mixes humor with a message about aging, sexism, friendship and personal reinvention — and famously ends with a joyful performance of “You Don’t Own Me,” celebrating their renewed confidence.
That musical finale presented its own obstacle for Field.
“I couldn’t have done that role, because I don’t sing and they all do at the end.”
Diane Keaton ultimately landed the role of Annie, with Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Stockard Channing, Dan Hedaya, Victor Garber, Stephen Collins, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elizabeth Berkley and Marcia Gay Harden rounding out the cast. The film scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score.
Field held no regrets about the casting.
“I would never have been as good. I mean, it was absolutely right for Keaton — not for me,” Field remarked.
Keaton died on October 11, 2025, at age 79 from primary bacterial pneumonia.
Why ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Still Hits Home for Fans of Sally Field
Though Field passed on First Wives Club, her résumé speaks for itself — from early roles in Gidget and The Flying Nun to Norma Rae, Steel Magnolias, Forrest Gump and more, she’s had a lifetime full of big hits. It’s 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire that Field believes still carries a quietly powerful message.
The family comedy-drama stars the late Robin Williams as Daniel Hillard, a divorced father who can’t stand being separated from his kids. After losing custody, he comes up with a wild plan — disguising himself as an elderly British nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire to get hired in his ex-wife’s home and secretly spend time with his children. As the double life grows more complicated, Daniel struggles to keep his identity hidden while learning hard truths about responsibility, parenting and why his marriage fell apart. Field plays his ex-wife, who grows more independent, adding tension until Daniel can no longer hide who he really is.
Also starring Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence and Mara Wilson, the film has endured as a family favorite. Field isn’t surprised.
“The movie is about something really valid and important,” she told Parade in a story published April 26. “It’s a lot of laughter, but it’s about the difficulties of divorce for children and how ultimately, the mom and the dad can get divorced and the kids will still be OK. Kids need to know this — they need to know that sometimes divorce is the very best thing because sometimes when moms and dads feel they need to stay together for the kids, it’s a bad message.”
That insight — that a comedy can carry a truth children need to hear — helps explain why the film endures. It isn’t just funny. It names something families live through and tells them the outcome can be OK.
What’s Next for Sally Field?
Field’s next project follows her instinct for stories about unexpected connections. In Remarkably Bright Creatures, an adaptation of the novel by Shelby Van Pelt, she plays Tova, a lonely widow working the night shift at an aquarium who forms an unusual bond with a clever octopus named Marcellus. As their connection deepens, the story weaves together Tova’s grief, a young man searching for his past and a mystery that gradually brings their lives together.
The film also stars Meghan Heffern, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Laura Harris and Alfred Molina. It will be released by Netflix on May 8.
