Palm Springs, California – Veteran actress Sally Kirkland, the 84-year-old Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee renowned for her fearless performances across six decades, has entered hospice care as she navigates the advanced stages of dementia compounded by a series of debilitating injuries and infections. Her representative, Michael Greene, confirmed the development on November 9, 2025, revealing that Kirkland is receiving end-of-life support at a hospital in Palm Springs, California. By her side is her close friend and former acting student, Cody Galloway, who has been a steadfast presence during this challenging period. The news, first shared publicly through an update on a dedicated GoFundMe fundraising page, has elicited an outpouring of support from fans, fellow actors, and the entertainment community, underscoring Kirkland's enduring legacy as a trailblazing figure in Hollywood.
The GoFundMe, initially launched on November 18, 2024, by friends Paige Dylan, Coty Galloway, and Mel England, was created to address what organizers described as a "significant health crisis" that had left the actress facing insurmountable medical expenses. An update posted on November 7, 2025, poignantly announced her transition to hospice: "Thank you for all your love and support. Sally is grateful for your kindness and love. Sally is on hospice now and is resting comfortably. Please hold and send the light for Sally." As of November 10, 2025, the campaign had surpassed $58,900 in donations toward its $65,000 goal, with contributions surging in the wake of the hospice revelation. Funds are earmarked to bridge the gap between Kirkland's limited income—derived from pensions and residuals—and the escalating costs of 24/7 specialized care, which far exceed what her insurance covers.
Kirkland's health odyssey over the past year has been marked by a cascade of misfortunes that began with multiple fractures sustained in falls. According to the GoFundMe details, in late 2024, she suffered breaks to four bones in her neck, her right wrist, and her left hip—injuries that demanded prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation. Compounding these physical traumas, Kirkland developed two separate life-threatening infections during her recovery periods, necessitating extended stays in medical facilities beyond the 100 days typically covered by insurance. A more recent incident in October 2025 saw her take another unattended fall in the shower, resulting in injuries to her ribs and foot, along with cuts and bruises. These events occurred against the backdrop of her 2024 dementia diagnosis, a progressive neurological condition that has progressively impaired her memory, cognition, and mobility, making daily care increasingly complex.
The financial strain has been exacerbated by systemic challenges in the industry. In 2021, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) discontinued supplemental Medigap insurance for members over 65, thrusting Kirkland into a "chaotic and confusing transition" to alternative coverage. This policy shift, combined with the economic fallout from the 2007-2008 financial crisis that eroded her savings from earlier successes like her breakthrough role in Anna, has left her vulnerable. Organizers of the fundraiser emphasized that without adequate support, "lack of proper care greatly diminishes Sally’s chance of a full recovery," though they remain hopeful that community generosity could enable her to resume the work she loves. Kirkland herself appeared in a video message shortly after the GoFundMe's launch, expressing gratitude and determination, a testament to her resilient spirit.
Born Sally Kirkland Jr. on October 31, 1941, in New York City, the actress was destined for the spotlight from an early age. Her mother, also named Sally Kirkland, served as a prominent fashion editor for Vogue and Life magazines, instilling in her a keen aesthetic sensibility. Raised partly in Oklahoma, Kirkland modeled for Vogue before pursuing formal training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1961. She honed her craft under luminaries like Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen at the Actors Studio, where she crossed paths with future icons Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino. Her Off-Broadway debut in 1963 marked the start of a career that would defy conventions and span over 250 film, television, and stage projects.
The 1960s positioned Kirkland at the epicenter of New York's avant-garde scene. She immersed herself in the experimental theater world, embracing the countercultural ethos of the era. A pivotal moment came when she joined Andy Warhol's legendary Factory collective, the hub of pop art and underground cinema. In Warhol's 1964 experimental film The 13 Most Beautiful Women, Kirkland appeared nude and bound to a chair for 45 minutes—a bold, enduring statement of her willingness to push artistic boundaries. This period also saw her grapple with personal demons, including drug use, culminating in a suicide attempt that prompted a transformative pivot toward yoga, painting, and spiritual practices. Ordained as a minister in the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), Kirkland later channeled these experiences into her multifaceted identity as an actress, poet, exhibited painter, and renowned acting coach.
Transitioning to mainstream Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s, Kirkland built an eclectic resume with supporting roles in high-profile films. She shared the screen with Paul Newman and Robert Redford in the classic con-artist caper The Sting (1973), appeared alongside Goldie Hawn in the military comedy Private Benjamin (1980), and lent her talents to Sidney Lumet's crime drama The Wiz (1978). Television became a fertile ground as well; she guest-starred on iconic series like Charlie's Angels, Roseanne, Murder, She Wrote, The Nanny, and Days of Our Lives, where she portrayed the enigmatic Tracy Simpson in 1999. Her recurring role on Felicity (1998-2002) and lead in the TV adaptation of Steel Magnolias (1990) showcased her versatility in dramatic and comedic veins.
Kirkland's zenith arrived with the 1987 indie gem Anna, directed by Yurek Bogayevicz. In the titular role of a fading Polish actress navigating immigration, love, and reinvention in New York, she delivered a tour de force of raw vulnerability and charisma. The performance not only clinched her the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead but also secured a Best Actress Academy Award nomination in 1988—edging out heavyweights like Barbra Streisand and earning her the National Society of Film Critics Award in a landslide. Her Oscar bid, fueled by a legendary self-financed campaign involving personal outreach to voters, remains a masterclass in tenacity, transforming a low-budget film into awards-season lore.
The late 1980s and 1990s solidified her as a character actress par excellence. In Cold Feet (1989), she explored marital discord with biting wit; Best of the Best (1989) saw her in a gritty martial arts thriller; and Oliver Stone's JFK (1991) featured her in a pivotal supporting turn amid the assassination conspiracy. Horror fans cherish her chilling lead in The Haunted (1991), which garnered another Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film. The 2000s brought mainstream visibility with Bruce Almighty (2003), where she sparred opposite Jim Carrey and Jennifer Aniston as a no-nonsense talk-show host, and satirical fare like EDtv (1999) alongside Matthew McConaughey.
Even into her later years, Kirkland's output remained prolific. She joined the ensemble of 80 for Brady (2023), the feel-good comedy starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field as die-hard Tom Brady enthusiasts, infusing the film with her trademark feisty energy. Her most recent role came in the 2024 indie Sallywood, a semi-autobiographical tale of a writer fixated on meeting her idol—Kirkland herself—which premiered to acclaim and earned her a Lifetime Achievement Award at the New York City International Film Festival. Notably, a documentary titled Sallywood—chronicling her extraordinary life—is set for release on Amazon Prime on November 10, 2025, just one day after the hospice news broke, offering a timely reflection on her indomitable journey.
Beyond the screen, Kirkland's influence extends to mentorship and advocacy. As an acting coach, she has nurtured talents like Galloway, emphasizing authenticity and emotional depth. Her humanitarian efforts include awards from the Blue Cross and the Crippled Children's Society, and she has been a vocal proponent for mental health awareness, drawing from her own battles with addiction and depression. Politically liberal and unapologetically outspoken, Kirkland has long championed women's rights and artistic freedom, embodying the feisty blonde archetype she playfully subverted throughout her career.
As Hollywood mourns this poignant chapter, tributes have flooded social media. Co-stars from 80 for Brady and peers like Jennifer Tilly, who shared scenes with her in Sallywood, have lauded her as a "limitless source of generosity, kindness, and unwavering spirit." Greene, en route from New York to Palm Springs, vowed, "She will not go until I’m holding her hand," capturing the profound bonds that define Kirkland's world. While her physical chapter draws to a close, Sally Kirkland's light—fierce, multifaceted, and forever illuminating—continues to inspire. Donations to her GoFundMe persist, ensuring that this icon rests with the dignity she has so richly earned.
