Sally Field was not the love of Burt Reynolds’s life.

Reynolds expressed regret for not battling hard enough to maintain his connection with Field, 75, in his autobiography “But Enough About Me,” which he authored only three years before his passing in 2018.

The “Forrest Gump” star told Variety that Reynolds made up the story that she was ever in love with him.

Reynolds, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 82, was, in Field’s words, “not someone I could be around.”

Courtesy Everett Collection

“He was just not good for me in any way. And he had somehow invented in his rethinking of everything that I was more important to him than he had thought, but I wasn’t,” she told the publication. “He just wanted to have the thing he didn’t have. I just didn’t want to deal with that.”

Field did not go to the “Gunsmoke” actor’s funeral when he passed away, but she did make a touching comment about him.

“There are times in your life that are so indelible, they never fade away. They stay alive, even 40 years later,” the “Amazing Spider-Man” actress told Page Six in a statement at the time.

“My years with Burt never leave my mind. He will be in my history and my heart, for as long as I live,” she stated. “Rest, Buddy.”

On September 18, 2018, approximately 12 days after Reynolds passed away, the book In Pieces was released. In it, she talked about their complex relationship. She recounted his drug use, alleging that he took barbiturates, Percodan, and Valium while filming Smokey and the Bandit, and that he was domineering and abusive. (Loni Anderson, Reynolds’ second wife, documented his drug usage in her autobiography and claimed that it caused him to physically abuse her.)

Reynolds and Field dated on and off for five years while producing four films together. Field stated in the book in retrospect that she was assaulted until she was 14 years old by her stuntman and actor stepfather, Jock Mahoney, and that she attempted to replicate that relationship with Reynolds. She “was exorcising something that needed to be exorcised.”

Field, who had two marriages that ended in divorce, made a kind comment after Reynolds’ passing.

Field said she had no qualms with stating that Reynolds was controlling.

She stated of the book, “I didn’t worry because I didn’t think I was going to publish it.”

Due to health problems, Reynolds passed away suddenly in September 2018 at the age of 82. Before his death, he was scheduled to appear in Quentin Tarantino’s movie “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

Reynolds spoke out to “Entertainment Tonight” about how much he missed Field around the time his biography was released.

“She was the best actress I ever worked with,” the “Boogie Nights” legend said, “I do miss her. I think she was one of the most underrated actresses, you know?”

He expressed his sentiments to People and declared his “adoration” for the Tony Award-nominated actress.

“I really adored her,” he stated. “It was real. She’s very, very, special. Her mother and I . . . I loved her mother.”

He even claimed that Field’s mother told him at one point, “I know you’re going to break her heart, but please be gentle.”

“I said, ‘I don’t know how you could break somebody’s heart and be gentle, but I don’t intend to break her heart.’ You never intend to,” Reynolds said.

In the interview, Field discussed her lengthy career in Hollywood and how it “can really kick the poop out of you.”

She is currently working on the road trip film 80 for Brady alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Rita Moreno.

She rose to fame on television in 1965 as Gidget, but she yearned for film parts throughout her tenure as the Flying Nun (1967 to 1970). She remarked about Flying Nun, “It was a job. And I learned to survive things. It’s important to learn how to survive things, things you like, things you don’t like. I just had to put my head down and go to work and do the very best job I could. And those are the times when you realize that there’s a reason why you’re eating so much but trying to hide. You’re trying to cover up your depression. But at that point in my life I didn’t have the skills to recognize what was happening to me … and being able to see what your dreams are.”

Power couple:

Sally Field and Burt Reynolds were a popular and iconic Hollywood couple in the 1970s and 80s. Field and Reynolds met on the set of the film Smokey and the Bandit in 1977, and began a romantic relationship soon after.

Field and Reynolds were both established actors at the time, with Field having won two Academy Awards for her performances in Norma Rae and Places in the Heart. Reynolds was also a successful actor, known for his roles in films such as Deliverance and The Longest Yard.

Field and Reynolds were considered a “golden couple” in Hollywood, and their relationship was heavily publicized and followed by the media. They were often seen together at red carpet events and in interviews, and their relationship was considered to be strong and stable.

However, despite their initial happiness, Field and Reynolds’ relationship faced challenges and struggles. In 1979, Reynolds was involved in a serious car accident that left him with severe injuries and a long recovery process. Field was by his side throughout his recovery, but the accident put a strain on their relationship.

In addition to the challenges they faced as a couple, Field and Reynolds also struggled with their individual careers. Field struggled to find interesting and challenging roles, and felt that she was being typecast in stereotypical female roles. Reynolds, on the other hand, faced criticism for his choices of roles and projects, and struggled to maintain his success and popularity.

Despite these challenges, Field and Reynolds remained committed to each other and their relationship. They continued to support each other in their careers, and remained a high-profile couple in Hollywood. However, their relationship ultimately ended in 1984, after seven years together.

After the split, Field and Reynolds both continued to act and work in Hollywood. Field went on to star in a number of successful films and television shows, including Steel Magnolias, Forrest Gump, and Brothers and Sisters. She also continued to be involved in various charitable and activist causes, including supporting the LGBTQ+ community and promoting women’s rights.

Reynolds, on the other hand, continued to act in films and television shows, but struggled to maintain his success and popularity. He faced personal and financial challenges, including struggles with addiction and bankruptcy. Despite these challenges, he continued to work in Hollywood and remained a recognizable and well-known figure in the entertainment industry.

In the past decade, Field and Reynolds have both reflected on their relationship and their time together. In interviews and public appearances, they have spoken about the love and affection they had for each other, as well as the challenges and struggles they faced. They have also expressed regret and sadness about the end of their relationship, and have remained friends and supportive of each other.