Oscar-nominated actor Sally Kirkland, celebrated for her powerful performance in “Anna“ and a career spanning stage and screen, has died. She was 83. Kirkland passed away February 16, 2024, in Santa Barbara, California, according to news reports.
Kirkland’s death marks the loss of a fiercely independent and often unconventional performer who consistently challenged boundaries throughout her decades-long career. While achieving mainstream recognition later in life with her 1987 Academy Award nomination for ”Anna,” Kirkland built a foundation in theater and embraced roles that prioritized artistic expression over conventional stardom. Her willingness to take risks, both professionally and personally, made her a unique figure in Hollywood.
Kirkland began her career on the stage, immersing herself in the works of William Shakespeare. Some of her early roles included the lovesick Helena in ”A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for New York Shakespeare Festival producer Joseph Papp and Miranda in an off-Broadway production of “The Tempest.” “I don’t think any actor can really call him or herself an actor unless he or she puts in time with shakespeare,” she told the Los Angeles times in 1991. “It shows up, it always shows up in the work, at some point, whether it’s just not being able to have breath control, or not being able to appreciate language as poetry and music, or not having the power that Shakespeare automatically instills you with when you take on one of his characters.”
Beyond Shakespeare, Kirkland’s filmography was diverse, though frequently enough marked by provocative choices. She reached a career nadir while riding nude on a pig in the 1969 film “Futz,” which a guardian reviewer dubbed the worst film he had ever seen. “It was about a man who fell in love with a pig, and even by the dismal standards of the era, it was dismal,” he wrote. Kirkland was also known for disrobing for numerous roles and social causes, leading Time magazine to dub her “the latter-day Isadora Duncan of nudothespianism.”
Despite the controversies, Kirkland remained dedicated to humanitarian work.She volunteered for people with AIDS, cancer and heart disease, fed homeless people via the American Red Cross, participated in telethons for hospices and was an advocate for prisoners, especially young people.
Kirkland’s Oscar nomination for “Anna” - in which she played a recently released convict struggling to rebuild her life – brought her widespread acclaim and solidified her status as a compelling dramatic actress. While she didn’t win the award, the recognition opened doors to further roles. Details regarding memorial services have not yet been announced.
