Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland, whose six-decade career spanned from Andy Warhol films to Hollywood blockbusters, died Tuesday morning at a Palm Springs hospice. Her representative, Michael Greene, confirmed her death at 84 years old.
Kirkland earned her greatest acclaim for the 1987 film "Anna," portraying a fading Czech movie star rebuilding her life in America while mentoring a younger actor played by Paulina Porizkova. The performance won her a Golden Globe, Independent Spirit Award, and LA Film Critics Circle Award, along with an Academy Award nomination for best actress. She competed that year against Cher in "Moonstruck," Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction," Holly Hunter in "Broadcast News," and Meryl Streep in "Ironweed."
"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," a Los Angeles critic wrote in her review. "There should be no confusion about her identity after this blazing comet of a performance."
Kirkland's career began in the 1960s in New York, where her first director was Andy Warhol, who featured her in his 1964 film "13 Most Beautiful Women." She made theatrical history in 1968 by becoming the first actress to appear nude onstage in an American production, performing in Terrence McNally's off-Broadway play "Sweet Eros" as a kidnapped rape victim.
Early in her career, Kirkland tackled Shakespeare, playing Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for producer Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival and Miranda in an off-Broadway "The Tempest."
On television, Kirkland appeared in "Head Case,” "Roseanne," "Criminal Minds," and was a series regular on "Valley of the Dolls" and "Charlie's Angels." She earned a Hollywood Foreign Press nomination for best actress in a TV movie for "The Haunted.”
Beyond acting, Kirkland was an ordained minister in the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, whose followers believe in soul transcendence. She was also a renowned acting coach and exhibited painter. Her charitable work included volunteering for people with AIDS, cancer, and heart disease, feeding homeless individuals through the American Red Cross, and advocating for prisoners, especially young people.
According to the GoFundMe campaign, Kirkland faced financial hardships after losing much of her investment portfolio during the 2007 market crash due to poor financial advice. The campaign organizers noted she also struggled with medical expenses after SAG-AFTRA canceled supplemental insurance for members over 65 in 2021.
"For those who know Sally personally, she has been a limitless source of generosity, kindness, and unwavering spirit," the GoFundMe stated. "She has never had the luxury of a life partner or children to lean on in difficult times."