Sally Field: Flying Nun Was Painful and Stupid

Actress Sally Field has shared her candid thoughts on her role in the 1960s television series "The Flying Nun." Field, who played Sister Bertrille, a nun with the ability to fly, admitted that she did not want to take the part. At the time, she felt out of sync with the era's counterculture movements. Field also expressed significant discomfort with the show's depiction of flight.

The flying sequences, which relied on wires and cranes, were particularly problematic for Field. She described the experience as painful and unsafe, recalling being suspended by wires on a 50-foot crane and flown into buildings. These effects, lacking modern special effects capabilities, made the stunts hazardous. Field candidly stated that she would have preferred to play a nun with her feet firmly on the ground.

Furthermore, Field indicated that her role in "The Flying Nun" had a detrimental effect on her early career, making her "unemployable" for a period. She credited actor Jack Nicholson with playing a role in helping her overcome this career setback and find new opportunities. The series aired for three seasons between 1967 and 1970.