Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland, star of ‘Anna’ and ‘The Sting’, dies at 84

PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA: Sally Kirkland, the veteran actress whose raw and magnetic performance in ‘Anna’ earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe, died on Tuesday morning, November 11, at a hospice in Palm Springs. She was 84.

Her representative, Michael Greene, confirmed the death, noting that Kirkland had reportedly suffered multiple fractures earlier this year and faced a series of medical complications during her recovery. Friends had organized a GoFundMe campaign to support her care.

Kirkland’s screen career spanned six decades, with appearances alongside Hollywood legends including Paul Newman and Robert Redford in 'The Sting', Barbra Streisand in 'The Way We Were', and Jim Carrey in 'Bruce Almighty'. She also worked under acclaimed directors like Oliver Stone and Ron Howard.

Golden Globe winner who captivated audiences in 1987’s 'Anna'

Kirkland’s defining performance came in the 1987 independent drama 'Anna', where she played a fading Czech film star rebuilding her life in America while mentoring a younger actress, played by Paulina Porizkova.

The role earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe for Best Actress, placing her in the same awards race as Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter and Cher.

“Kirkland is one of those performers whose talent has been an open secret to her fellow actors but something of a mystery to the general public,” The Los Angeles Times wrote in its 1987 review. 

"There should be no confusion about her identity after this blazing comet of a performance," it added.

From modeling to method acting

Born in New York City, Kirkland was reportedly introduced to the arts early by her mother, a fashion editor at Vogue and Life. 

She began modeling at age five before studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She later trained with Method icon Lee Strasberg, developing a deep respect for Shakespearean theatre.

“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.

Her early stage work included roles in Joseph Papp’s 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' and an off-Broadway production of 'The Tempest'.

Kirkland also appeared in avant-garde projects such as Andy Warhol’s '13 Most Beautiful Women' (1964) and Terrence McNally’s 'Sweet Eros', a performance that drew attention for its daring vulnerability.

Beyond acting, Kirkland was deeply involved in spiritual and humanitarian work. She volunteered for AIDS, cancer and heart disease patients, helped feed the homeless through the American Red Cross, participated in hospice telethons, and advocated for prison reform.

Time magazine once dubbed her “the latter-day Isadora Duncan of nudothespianism,” a nod to her fearless approach to both performance and life.