Sally Field says ‘Steel Magnolias’ director was ‘very hard’ on Julia Roberts: ‘It was awful’

Sally Field didn’t just portray Julia Roberts’ mother in “Steel Magnolias,” she exercised her maternal side off camera, too.

In a new interview with Vulture published Monday, the 77-year-old actress discussed the “dazzling cast who were so loving and so supportive” amid difficult moments.

Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and the late Olympia Dukakis particularly rallied around Roberts, who was allegedly being “picked on” by the film’s late director Herb Ross.

“Herb was very, very, very hard on Julia. If you ever talk to Julia, she’ll tell you,” Field said. “She was the baby. She was sort of the newcomer. And she was wonderful, and he just picked on her. It was awful.”

Clockwise from upper left, Dolly Parton, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis and Shirley MacLaine starred in “Steel Magnolias” in 1989.
She added that there wasn’t a particular reason that Roberts was on the brunt of Ross’ intense criticism. “Some people just need to have somebody they pick on. But we all came to her aid, and I remember Dolly once just turned on him — always with humor, but usually the most vulgar humor you ever heard so that it was like, you just literally don’t have a leg to stand on,” she recalled.

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Field said the director “dared not” to mess with her because she would give it right back.

“I don’t mind notes, but I will argue if it doesn’t make sense to me,” she said. “But if you’re gonna be mean to me, then you’re gonna find a warrior. I may be small, but you don’t want to do that.”

Sally Field and Julia Roberts were nominated for Golden Globes for their performances in “Steel Magnolias.”
The 1989 movie was an adaptation of Robert Harling’s play of the same name. The comedy-drama centers on a group of women in a small town in Louisiana as they rally around M’Lynn Eatenton (Field) following the death of her daughter Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie (Roberts) due to complications of type-1 diabetes.

The film earned Roberts an Oscar nomination and Golden Globes win for best supporting actress in a motion picture. Field was also nominated for best actress at the 1989 Globes ceremony.

Fathom Events is rereleasing the film for its 35th anniversary on May 5 and 8.