Was Sally Kirkland married? Family details explored as Bruce Almighty star passes away at 84 

Sally Kirkland Portraits - Source: Getty
Sally Kirkland Portraits - Source: Getty

Sally Kirkland, the Golden Globe-winning actress known for her role in Bruce Almighty, has passed away at the age of 84. While her career was full and wide, her personal life and family choices attracted fewer headlines.

In a long career of acting, Kirkland was a part of far more than 200 films and television appearances. The actress gained critical acclaim for Anna, which also won her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination.


About Sally Kirkland's relationships

Records indicate that Sally Kirkland has been married at least twice. The biography sites indicate that she was married to Michael R. Jarrett in August 1974, which ended in 1975. Later, in 1985, she married Mark Hebert. That marriage also concluded in divorce. Because of these marriages, while most sources report that she has no children of her own, there are indications that she was married two times.

For example, an article in Entertainment Weekly quotes her as stating that she had "never had the luxury of a life partner or children to lean on in difficult times." The same article noted that Sally's friends set up a GoFundMe to fund her care, and they did it because there is no family. Another important detail is in the 2024 interview, where she stated that she did "did not have much in the way of family, was not married, did not have children."

Kirkland Portraits - Source: Getty
Kirkland Portraits - Source: Getty

So yes! Kirkland was married twice, both of which she ended in divorce. She does not have children of her own. It appears she does have extended family connections, but not immediate descendants, besides the friends who ran the GoFundMe fundraiser.


Sally Kirkland's family roots, close ties, and legacy

Sally Kirkland's family roots are in New York's creative and fashion world. Sally Kirkland Sr., her mother, held the position of fashion editor at Life and Vogue, making a significant impact in American design during the 1940s-1960s. Her father, Frederic McMichael Kirkland, was a scrap-metal entrepreneur.

In the absence of children, her legacy resides in her body of work, her students, and mentees. She had also been an ordained minister with the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA); during her life, she taught acting, painted, wrote poetry, and assisted many emerging actors.

After her death, it has made her friends and the public wonder how much of her legacy was tied to not having a direct heir. The actress' GoFundMe notes her family members were not on hand to pull together and support her full-time.

Sally Kirkland will be remembered for her brave roles, boundary-breaking performances, and 60-year career of over 250 credits. Long marriages did not yield children; yet she still will be remembered for a rich professional legacy and personal qualities that are her own.


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Edited by Amey Mirashi