Sally Field Has Been Nominated for an Emmy - Her First One in 17 Years

Sally Field has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The nomination is for her role in the Netflix movie Remarkably Bright Creatures, and it is her first in nearly two decades.

In Remarkably Bright Creatures, Field plays a grieving cleaning lady named Tova. Tova bonds with Marcellus, a cranky octopus voiced by Alfred Molina. Marcellus observes Tova's new familial relationship with her temporary replacement cleaner at the aquarium, Cameron Cassmore, played by Lewis Pullman. The Netflix film is an adaptation of the novel with the same name by Shelby Van Pelt.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is Field's first leading role since the 2015 movie Hello, My Name Is Doris. Her most recent role before that was alongside fellow legendary actresses Rita Moreno, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda in 80 for Brady.

Field got her start as a television girl-next-door type, which she worked very hard to move away from. Her first credited role was in ABC's one-season sitcom Gidget, where she played the titular character. She studied at the Actor's Studio to broaden her talents and find new and exciting roles. This led her to star in Smokey and the Bandit alongside Burt Reynolds. Her next role in Norma Rae proved that Field was a dramatic actor.

Although she has not been nominated for an Emmy in 17 years, she has been nominated nine previous times and won three Emmy awards. Her last nomination was in 2009, when she won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Nora Walker in Brothers & Sisters. She also won in 1977 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Sybil and in 2003 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for ER. Field has also won two Oscars for Best Actress and been nominated for her roles in the 1979 film Norma Rae and the 1984 film Places in the Heart. She earned an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mary Todd Lincoln in Lincoln.

Next: 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards: Here's the Full List of Nominations

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 3:27 PM.