As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances .
"Sissy" is a nickname given by her brothers when she was growing up.
Not only did she win an Oscar for her performance in Coal Miners Daughter , but she was nominated for a Grammy for her rendition of the title song in the category Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1976" in John Willis Screen World, Vol. 28.
Was the first choice for the role of Emma Greenway in Terms of Endearment , which went to Debra Winger.
Decided to skip college after her older brother, Robbie, died at 18 years of age in 1967 from leukemia during her senior year in high school. She decided life was way too short to waste it in four years of college.
Lives on 300 acre farmland named "Beau Val" near Charlottesville, Virginia.
Her brother, Edwin Spacek, is a music industry consultant in Austin, Texas.
Was Homecoming Queen of her Senior Class in High School.
Godmother of Rebecca Taylor.
Her performance as Carrie White in Carrie is ranked #63 on Premiere magazines 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
Frequently works with Tommy Lee Jones , having appeared with him in Coal Miners Daughter , JFK , and The Good Old Boys . Separately, they have also each appeared in films in the Lonesome Dove series. Jones appeared in the original "Lonesome Dove" , while Spacek appeared in "Streets of Laredo" .
Is first cousin to actor Rip Torn and third cousin to actor Cillian De Ros.
She won an Oscar for playing Loretta Lynn in Coal Miners Daughter , making her one of 18 actors to win the Award for playing a real person who was still alive at the evening of the Award ceremony (as of 2015). The other seventeen actors and their respective performances are: Spencer Tracy for playing Father Edward Flanagan in Boys Town , Gary Cooper for playing Alvin C. York in Sergeant York , Patty Duke for playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker , Jason Robards for playing Ben Bradlee in All the Presidents Men , Robert De Niro for playing Jake La Motta in Raging Bull , Jeremy Irons for playing Claus Von Bullow in Reversal of Fortune , Susan Sarandon for playing Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking , Geoffrey Rush for playing David Helfgott in Shine , Julia Roberts for playing Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich , Jim Broadbent for playing John Bayley in Iris (2001/I) , Jennifer Connelly for playing Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind , Helen Mirren for playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen , Sandra Bullock for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side , Melissa Leo for playing Alice Eklund-Ward in The Fighter , Christian Bale for playing Dickie Eklund in The Fighter , Meryl Streep for playing Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady and Eddie Redmayne for playing Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything .
Her Best Actress Oscar nomination for Carrie is notable in that performances in horror films are rarely recognized by the academy.
In 1969, under the pseudonym "Rainbo", she recorded a novelty song about John Lennon titled, "John, Youve Gone Too Far This Time".
She was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in March 2001 in Austin, Texas.
During her audition for Carrie , she wore a dress that her mother forced her to wear to a party when she was in the seventh grade.
She has won four New York Film Critics Circle Awards, second to Meryl Streep , whos won the most with five. Sissys wins are for 3 Women , Best Supporting Actress; Coal Miners Daughter , Best Actress; Crimes of the Heart , Best Actress; and In the Bedroom , Best Actress.
Born at 12:03 AM (CST).
According to her commentary on the DVD of Coal Miners Daughter , she initially aspired to be a singer and auditioned for Decca Records. The label liked her but told her she was too similar to another artist they had on their label. That artist was Loretta Lynn.
Her career has several connections to Robert Duvall. She and Duvall both appear in Four Christmases and Get Low . Sissy starred in "Streets of Laredo" , a sequel to "Lonesome Dove" , starring Duvall. Further, her nephew Stephen Spacek appeared with Duvall in Gods and Generals . Finally, Sissy narrates an audiobook version of To Kill a Mockingbird , which was Duvalls first film.
Was the original choice for the role of Milena Flaherty in Bad Timing , but the productions start date eventually coincided with her work on another film.
Mother of Schuyler Fisk and Madison Fisk.
Was David Cronenberg s first choice to play Rose in Rabid .
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 1, 2011.
Has starred in five films nominated for Best Picture: Coal Miners Daughter , Missing , JFK , In the Bedroom and The Help .
Her father was of three quarters Moravian (Czech) and one quarter German ancestry. Her mother had English and Irish ancestry.
Was replaced by Debra Winger in Boychoir and Molly Shannon in Other People due to her commitment to the first and second seasons of "Bloodline" .
Gave birth to her first child at age 32, a daughter Schuyler Fisk on July 8, 1982. Childs father is her husband, Jack Fisk.
Gave birth to her second child at age 38, a daughter Madison Fisk on September 21, 1988. Childs father is her husband, Jack Fisk.
Was the 85th actress to receive an Academy Award: she won the Best Actress Oscar for Coal Miners Daughter at The 53rd Annual Academy Awards on March 31, 1981.
Was replaced by Debra Winger in three movies: Urban Cowboy , Terms of Endearment and Boychoir .
Was considered for the role of Leah in And So It Goes , but dropped out later. The role eventually went to Diane Keaton.
Acting protge of Piper Laurie.
Is one of 15 actresses to have won both the Best Actress Academy Award and the Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical Golden Globe for the same performance; hers being for Coal Miners Daughter . The others, in chronological order, are: Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday , Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins , Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl , Liza Minnelli for Cabaret , Glenda Jackson for A Touch of Class , Diane Keaton for Annie Hall , Cher for Moonstruck , Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy , Helen Hunt for As Good as It Gets , Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love , Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line , Marion Cotillard for La mme , Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook , and Emma Stone for La La Land .
She has Celtic, German, Nordic and Slavic ancestry.
Her surname pronounced as "SH:pah-chek".
She is the 22nd great granddaughter of King Edward I.
When she was told that she did not have the role in Heart Beat , she broke a glass of wine in her hands. The producer was so impressed by the gesture, that he ultimately gave Spacek the role. He handed her a piece of shattered glass and said "this clinched the deal".
Sissys paternal grandparents last names are both the names of birds in their native Czech: Spacek (pronounced "shPAH-chek," which means "Starling") and Cervenka (pronounced "chair-VENK-ah," which means "Robin").
She was originally cast as Lee Wakefield Lacker in Marvins Room , but dropped out. Meryl Streep replaced her.
She was considered for the role of Sarah Connor in The Terminator that went to Linda Hamilton.
She was considered for the role of Deborah in Once Upon a Time in America that went to Elizabeth McGovern.
She was considered for the role of Catherine Trammell in Basic Instinct that went to Sharon Stone.
She was considered for the role of Alex Owens in Flashdance , but the producers felt she was too old.
She was considered for the role of Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction that went to Glenn Close.
She was considered for the role of Dorothy Malone in Blue Velvet that went to Isabella Rossellini.
She auditioned for Princess Leia in Star Wars . George Lucas and Brian De Palma were holding joint auditions for Star Wars and Carrie and Carrie Fisher auditioned for Carrie White. They wound up getting each others roles.
She was the first choice for the role of Helen Kingsley in "ER" {Just as I Am (#11.14)} that went to Frances Fisher.
She was considered for the role of Vicki Vale in Batman that went to Kim Basinger.
She auditioned for the role of Phoenix in Phantom of the Paradise . She worked as set dresser for this film to assist her boyfriend, Jack Fisk , who was the films production designer. According to Spacek, she did her job so poorly that she ruined a days worth of filming.
She auditioned for the role of Lilly Dillon in The Grifters that went to Anjelica Huston.
She was considered for the role of Kathryn Murphy in The Accused that went to Kelly McGillis.
She auditioned for the role of Thelma Dickinson in Thelma & Louise , but after reading the script, she thought it was "awful".
She was considered for the role of Jacy Farrow in The Last Picture Show that went to Cybill Shepherd.
She was offered the role of Marie in Don McKay that went to Melissa Leo.
She was considered for the role of Cora in The Postman Always Rings Twice that went to Jessica Lange.
She was considered for the role of Frances Farmer in Frances that went to Jessica Lange.
She was considered for the role of Hattie in Pretty Baby that went to Susan Sarandon.
She was considered for the role of Gillian Bellaver in The Fury that went to Amy Irving , her costar from Carrie . Both films were directed by Brian De Palma.
She was considered for Jennifer Jason Leigh s role in Backdraft .
Is one of 12 actresses to have won a Best Actress Oscar for playing a character who is pregnant at some point during the film, hers being for Coal Miners Daughter . The others are Helen Hayes for The Sin of Madelon Claudet , Luise Rainer for The Good Earth , Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind , Ginger Rogers for Kitty Foyle , Olivia de Havilland for To Each His Own , Jane Wyman for Johnny Belinda , Anna Magnani for The Rose Tattoo , Julie Christie for Darling , Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl , Liza Minnelli for Cabaret , and Frances McDormand for Fargo .
[Parade magazine, April 1, 2001] I had a dozen years to act before,starting a family then found that motherhood dwarfed everything else.
Once or twice a year, I take a project that appeals to me for its,redeeming social value.
[on why she did not want to appear in The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) ],I asked if they could use some backflashes instead. I enjoyed the,sequel, but hated my role in the first film. I was awful.
Most things in my life I had before leaving home. Values, support, great family. I was shaped at an early age. A musician playing guitar, I wanted to be a folk singer.
