Sally Field Says Son Peter 'Saved My Life' Amid 'Notoriously Tough' Time On The Flying Nun

Sally Field is nothing short of a Hollywood icon. Apparently, though, it was an unlikely person who kept her motivated to keep going during one of her breakout roles. While fans may have loved "The Flying Nun," Field wasn't such a fan. Yet, when her son Peter Craig came into her life, everything changed.

Field has had a career that looks a lot like many aspiring actors' dream. She's taken on countless roles, which earned her two Academy Awards, three Emmys, and a Tony nod. Playing the titular surfer girl in "Gidget" gave Field a bright start, but it was followed by a darker time. Pressure to avoid being too picky about projects landed her the role of "The Flying Nun" in the zany series. "I had just turned 19. I didn't want to be a nun," Field told People in a new interview. Thus began what Field calls "a notoriously tough period." "It was ... incredibly difficult for me, because it was depressing. It wasn't real. There [were] no real scenes to do ... I knew how to be an actor. This wasn't it," Field explained. 

She proceeded to marry her high school sweetheart after he issued an ultimatum. In almost every facet of her life, Field felt stuck somewhere she didn't belong. And then she got pregnant. While this could have forced her even further into her rut, it did the opposite. Looking at Peter's baby picture during the interview, she said simply, "This little baby certainly saved my life."

Sally Field was pregnant with her first child going into the third year of "The Flying Nun." She told People that filming the season while pregnant made an already difficult gig even harder. "But, at least I had this bubble of excitement happening inside of me. Something was changing. And, it was Peter," she explained. According to her, "I said to myself — if I could take care of him, I could take care of me. And, I needed to find my legs. And, he helped."

Field later welcomed son Eli Craig with her first husband, followed by her third son, Sam Greisman, with her second husband 15 years later. Despite being young when she first ventured into motherhood, Peter's timing was perfect. What motherhood taught Field helped set her career into motion. Peter's career has since been set into motion, too. And, he went into show business just like his mom. In addition to writing novels, he helped write stories and scripts for famous films, including "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2, and "The Batman." He even won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "Top Gun: Maverick." Since his mom credits him with helping her through her a tough time on a TV show, it's only fitting that he landed in TV, too. He was the creator and showrunner of the 2025 Apple TV+ series "Dope Thief."