Sally Kirkland, the beloved actress whose life was defined by the dichotomy of spirituality and glamour, has passed away at the age of 84. Her most acclaimed role was in the 1987 film Anna, which not only earned her a Golden Globe award but also an Oscar nomination. Her versatility was on full display in over 250 film and TV productions, including 1991's JFK and 2003's Bruce Almighty.
TMZ confirmed Kirkland's death through her manager, Michael Greene, who shared that she had been in hospice care and passed away on Tuesday, November 11 at 4:50 a.m. ET. Greene also noted that Kirkland had been battling dementia for the past year.
In early October, friends of the actress shared her GoFundMe page, requesting help for "urgent medical care." The GoFundMe update on October 2 shared that "Sally is now receiving 24/7 care in a specialized facility that is providing wonderful safety and care. We are continuing to try to raise money to cover the gaps between income and care costs." On November 7, the GoFundMe page shared another update, noting, "Thank you for all your love and support. Sally is grateful for your kindness and love. Sally is on hospice now and is resting comfortably. Please hold and send the light for Sally."
Born in New York City in 1941, Kirkland's mother, also named Sally Kirkland, was a fashion editor at Vogue and LIFE magazines. Kirkland started her career as a model before pursuing acting. She studied at the Actors Studio and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1961. She quickly made a name for herself Off Broadway, often including nudity in her work throughout the '60s. As PEOPLE wrote in 1988, "In those early days, Kirkland was to nakedness what Walt Disney was to animation, establishing contemporary standards for nudity that made her the subject of numerous debates on morality in the arts."
Kirkland was part of Andy Warhol's Manhattan art studio, The Factory, and appeared naked and tied to a chair in the 1964 drama film The 13 Most Beautiful Women. She also performed nude in the 1968 play Sweet Eros and rode a pig naked in the 1969 film Futz. She starred in the 1969 underground film Coming Apart. Kirkland told Closer in 2016 that while living in New York she became "obsessed" with Bob Dylan. She claimed they dated in the '70s and reconnected a few times over the years.
In the '70s, she went out for more mainstream roles but was often told by studio heads that she was too passionate and too tall to find roles. "I'm not your typical, delicate girl-next-door," she said. Director Henry Jaglom once told PEOPLE, "I think Sally is unique in her intensity and courage, and Hollywood does not know what to do with unique people."
Her film roles included parts in Going Home (1971), The Way We Were (1973), Crazy Mama (1975), A Star Is Born (1976), and Private Benjamin (1980). She also guest-starred on TV series like Hawaii Five-O, Police Story, Three's Company, Kojak, Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, and Falcon Crest. She often went to the final rounds of auditions but never landed the role. "I've had so many close calls that I always thought, well, I must be good because it always seems to be between me and the person who gets it," she said in 1988.
While appearing in the play Largo Desolato in New York — where she played a Czech woman — she learned about the role in Anna. She would need a Czech accent this time, and her Actors Studio friends Al Pacino and Robert De Niro helped her prepare. Still, it took three auditions for her to land the part. When she finally auditioned alongside Paulina Porizkova, who was also cast, director Yurek Bogayevicz said, "I just saw what I've been waiting to see."
Kirkland was widely acclaimed for her performance in Anna and won the Golden Globe for best actress in a motion picture – drama and the Independent Spirit Award for best female lead in 1987. She also received an Oscar nomination after staging a now-famous campaign. While she lost to Cher in Moonstruck, her dedication to her craft was unwavering.
Kirkland's next films included Paint It Black (1989), Two Evil Eyes (1990), JFK (1991), and Gunmen (1994). She also began working regularly in television films, including The Haunted (1991), which earned her another Golden Globe nomination. On TV, she was a regular on the 1994 syndicated TV series Valley of the Dolls and appeared on shows like Roseanne
