Sally Field has spent a long time selecting 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 one other, Mrs. Doubtfire, still resonates with families greater 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 explanation was philosophical. For Field, the film’s premise didn’t reflect the sorts of stories she believed women deserved.
“I even have at all times had an issue with older women either wanting to get a date or trying to, like, you realize, have more sex with their husband,” she said. “I just feel like there’s more for ladies to say, in order that was just never my cup of tea.”
First Wives Club, based on the 1992 novel, follows three college friends who reunite on 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 identical experience — each has been divorced by a husband who left for a younger partner. Fairly than staying hurt, they form a pact and got down 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 best way, they use clever schemes to undermine their exes socially and financially.
Because the plot unfolds, the ladies 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 private reinvention — and famously ends with a joyful performance of “You Don’t Own Me,” celebrating their renewed confidence.
Sally Field Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
That musical finale presented its own obstacle for Field.
“I couldn’t have done that role, because I don’t sing and so they all do at the tip.”
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 solid. The film scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Musical or Comedy Rating.
Field held no regrets in regards to the casting.
“I might never have been nearly 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 stuffed with 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 together with his children. Because the double life grows more complicated, Daniel struggles to maintain 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 not 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 necessary,” she told Parade in a story published April 26. “It’s a whole lot of laughter, nevertheless it’s in regards to the difficulties of divorce for kids and the way ultimately, the mom and the dad can get divorced and the children will still be OK. Kids must know this — they should know that sometimes divorce is the easiest thing because sometimes when mothers and dads feel they should stay together for the children, it’s a foul message.”
That insight — that a comedy can carry a truth children need to listen to — helps explain why the film endures. It isn’t just funny. It names something families pass though and tells them the end result will be OK.
Assistance is on the best way! Mrs. Doubtfire hit screens in November 1993 and have become an quick classic beloved by families all over the place. Based on Anne Nice‘s 1987 novel Alias Madame Doubtfire, the comedy follows voice actor Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), whose wife, Miranda (Sally Field), files for divorce because she thinks he’s unreliable. So as to […]
What’s Next for Sally Field?
Field’s next project follows her instinct for stories about unexpected connections. In Remarkably Vibrant 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 looking for his past and a mystery that step by step 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 can be released by Netflix on May 8.