Sally Field’s son says this iconic movie made him gay
Sally Field and her son Sam (Getty Images)
Sally Field recently shared the sweet story of why her son jokes that her film Steel Magnolias turned him gay.
Speaking to People, the Oscar winner shared her experience of working on the iconic film alongside its star-studded cast of icons, including Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts.
“Just a wonderful, wonderful experience,” Field said of the film. “We loved each other, all of us. We all just completely adored each other, and we would go shopping on the weekends, all together! Even Dolly sometimes. We’d go to the market, we’d play games, we’d get together at somebody’s house.”
The 1989 romantic comedy film follows a group of small-town Southern women as they bond and support each other following the death of one of their own.
“There’s a picture that I have hanging in my little office. It’s of Shirley and Dolly and Julia, and we’re looking off because it was the wrap party and there was a big band,” Field remembered.
“On my chest is my little son Sam, because he was six months old and I’m holding his head because I’m trying to save his ears because it was loud. He was on the set all the time and my friends took care of him. Sam has always said that that’s probably why he’s gay,” the actress laughed.
Steel Magnolias doesn’t feature any queer characters, but its themes of found family and iconic cast have caused it to become a beloved classic within the LGBTQ+ community.
Field herself has also long been a fierce ally to the community, partly thanks to her having a gay son, whom she shares with film producer Alan Greisman. She even won the Human Rights Campaign’s Ally for Equality Award in 2012 for her commitment to fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and against discriminatory legislation.
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