Home chevron_right Entertainment chevron_right Sally Kirkland

Sally Kirkland

movie Actress, Film Producer, Social Activist cake 31 October 1941 (Friday) (New York City, USA)
height

Height

5' 9" (175 cm)

hourglass_empty

Age

84

flag

Nation

American

favorite Personal Life

Basic Information

Date of Birth: 31 October 1941 (Friday)
Birthplace: New York City, USA
Zodiac Sign: Scorpion
Nationality: American
Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Family & Relationships

Marital Status: Divorced

Education

Colleges: American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York City
Education: Graduation in Dramatic Arts (1961)

Lifestyle

Religion: Christianity

person_book Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sally Kirkland

  • Sally Kirkland was born and grew up in New York City.
  • She was named after her mother, Sally Kirkland. She was a fashion editor at Vogue and LIFE magazines. Sally’s mother was the only fashion editor at Life magazine from 1944 to 1969.
  • Sally started her professional modelling career as a Vogue model.
  • She studied acting at the Actors Studio in New York City.
  • In 1963, Kirkland began her acting career with off-Broadway theatre in New York.
  • After some time, she joined Andy Warhol’s theatre, The Factory, in New York.
  • In 1964, she appeared in a short role in the film The 13 Most Beautiful Women. She appeared nude and tied to a chair for 45 minutes.
  • In an interview, Sally mentioned that she was deeply involved in New York’s avant-garde movement, as well as her struggles with drug use. She added that after a suicide attempt, she got scared and decided to change her life through yoga and painting.
  • Four years later, in 1968, Sally returned to the films and appeared in the film Blue (1968).
  • She was the first actress to appear nude in a legitimate stage play, in the 1968 Off-Broadway premiere of “Sweet Eros” by Terrence McNally.
  • In the 1970s and 1980s, Sally appeared in supporting roles in various films.
  • Her first lead role was in the horror film Fatal Games (1984).
  • In 1987, Kirkland received widespread recognition for her film Anna. She also won various awards for her performance.
  • In addition to Anna (1987), Kirkland gained recognition for her roles in JFK (1991), Best of the Best (1989), and Bruce Almighty (2003).
  • In an interview, Sally revealed that she used all the money she earned from her role in the film Edtv (1999) to have her breast implants removed.
  • The years from 1987 to 1999 were among the most successful years of her career.
  • In an interview, Sally revealed that she used all the money she earned from her role in the film Edtv (1999) to have her breast implants removed.
  • Sally Kirkland appeared in more than 220 films.
  • Apart from films and television. Sally also appeared on the Radio. In 2016, she hosted a weekly program on the syndicated HealthyLife Radio Network.
  • Kirkland was a strong supporter of gay and lesbian rights. She led various workshops and campaigned for gay communities.
  • She was also a health activist and advocate for women harmed by breast implants. In August 1999, she founded the Kirkland Institute for Implant Survival Syndrome.
  • She also campaigned for various AIDS organisations. In the 1980s, she served as a caretaker of AIDS patients, as well as cancer patients.
  • Sally was a gallery-shown painter.
  • She was a noted acting teacher, and some of her students include Sandra Bullock, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Dwight Yoakam, and Roseanne Barr, among others.
  • Kirkland was an ordained minister in the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, where she took classes for drama, yoga, and meditation.
  • From her two marriages, she had no children.
  • In November 2024, it was reported that Kirkland was diagnosed with dementia and also suffered fractures in her neck, wrist, and hip after a fall. She was also battling with two life-threatening infections.
  • In November 2025, it was confirmed that she had entered hospice care in Palm Springs, California.
  • Due to financial difficulties, a GoFundMe campaign was initiated by her friends to raise funds for her urgent medical care.

    An Instagram post shared by Sally Kirkland
    An Instagram post shared by Sally Kirkland’s family and friends for her GoFundMe campaign
  • Sally Kirkland passed away in Palm Springs, California, on 11 November 2025.

newspaper Recent News

Recent news and updates about Sally Kirkland will appear here.