Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland has died aged aged 84.
The TV and film star passed away days after entering a Palm Springs hospice following a period of ill health in recent years and a number of falls, Deadline has confirmed. Her representative, Michael Greene, told TMZ she had died this morning at 1.50am PT.
Reports say Kirkland had dementia for the past year. A GoFundMe page set up to support her health battle noted that she had struggled to pay for medical care since SAG-AFTRA cancelled supplement insurance for members over the age of 65 in 2021.
The page revealed she had fractured four bones in her neck, right wrist and left hip and “developed two separate life-threatening infections” in the past year.
Kirkland, who was once part of Andy Warhole’s art studio The Factory and a player in avante-garde theater, is remembered best for her role in 1987 indie comedy-drama movie Anna. She played a Czech actress who travels to New York to find an acting icon from her country. The role landed her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and a win at the Golden Globes.
Also known for roles in Charlie’s Angels, JFK and Bruce Almighty, she appeared in over 250 films and TV shows in total. Kirkland starred in Days of Our Lives and Valley of the Dolls, and her list of cameos includes Kojak, Starsky and Hutch and the Charlie’s Angels television series.
Her roles became less frequent during the 2000s and 2010s, appearing in the likes of The Agency in 2010, Extinction (2017), Invincible (2020) and last year co-starred in Sallywood, which examined director Xaque Gruber’s relationship with her. We interviewed the pair 12 months ago about the project.
