Sally Field Turned Down ‘The First Wives Club,’ Says Women Deserve More Complex Roles
When Sally Field was offered the role of Annie Paradis in 1996’s The First Wives Club, she passed. In a rare interview, the actress explained why — and her reasoning cuts to something many women have felt but rarely heard stated so directly.
“I have always had a problem with older women either wanting to get a date or looking to, like, you know, have more sex with their husband,” Field said to Parade. “I just feel like there’s more for women to say, so that was just never my cup of tea.”
“I loved all those actors,” she added. “But I did turn it down.”
Why She Passed on ‘The First Wives Club’
The 1996 film, based on the 1992 novel, follows three college friends who reunite at the funeral of a fourth friend who died by suicide after being abandoned by her husband for a younger woman. The reunion reveals a shared wound: all three have also been divorced by husbands who left them for younger partners.
United by a shared resolve, they conspire to expose their ex-husbands’ hypocrisy while reclaiming their sense of dignity and independence. Over time, their focus evolves from revenge to empowerment, as they discover strength in friendship and begin using their influence to uplift other women navigating similar struggles. Balancing comedy with reflections on aging, sexism, and personal growth, the film closes with a triumphant rendition of “You Don’t Own Me,” symbolizing their liberation and renewed self-assurance.
For Field, the story still centered on the men who left. Her critique was not about the film’s quality. It was about what stories Hollywood chooses to tell about women at a certain age.
There was a practical consideration too.
“I couldn’t have done that role, because I don’t sing and they all do at the end,” Field said.
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 cast.
Field had no regrets about stepping aside.
“I would never have been 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.
A Different Kind of Divorce Story in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’
While Field turned down The First Wives Club, one of her most enduring roles tells its own divorce story — through a markedly different lens.
In 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire, Field plays the ex-wife of Daniel Hillard, portrayed by the late Robin Williams. Daniel can’t stand being separated from his kids. After losing custody, he disguises himself as an elderly British nanny to get a job in his ex-wife’s house and secretly spend time with his children. As the double life grows more complicated, Daniel struggles to keep his identity hidden while learning hard truths about responsibility, parenting and why his marriage fell apart.
What distinguishes the film is what happens to Field’s character. She begins to grow more independent, adding tension not because she is failing but because she is becoming stronger. Eventually, Daniel can no longer hide his identity as the Mrs. Doubtfire persona takes on a life of its own. The film also starred Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence and Mara Wilson.
Field said she is not surprised the film still holds up decades later.
“The movie is about something really valid and important,” she told Parade. “It’s a lot of laughter, but it’s about the difficulties of divorce for children and how ultimately, the mom and the dad can get divorced and the kids will still be OK. Kids need to know this—they need to know that sometimes divorce is the very best thing because sometimes when moms and dads feel they need to stay together for the kids, it’s a bad message.”
Sally Field Is Still Choosing Roles That Matter
Fans will next see Field in Remarkably Bright Creatures, an adaptation of the novel by Shelby Van Pelt. The story centers on Tova, a lonely widow working the night shift at an aquarium, who develops an unexpected bond with a highly intelligent octopus named Marcellus. As their connection grows, the narrative intertwines Tova’s grief with a young man’s search for his origins and a mystery that gradually links their lives.
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’s due out on Netflix on May 8.
For an actress who has long insisted women have more to say, she keeps finding the roles that prove it.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
