Burt Reynolds’ passing in 2018 was one felt by millions of people around the world. The legendary actor died after a battle with a number of health issues for many years.

The actor left an immense legacy behind, including plenty of fond memories retained by former co-stars and friends. Perhaps the most heartwarming came from an on-and-off-again girlfriend, Sally Field.

Sally just turned 76 and she may have maintained a silence concerning the pair’s time together over the past few decades, but, following Burt’s passing, she’s opened up …

Though Reynolds had many flings in his life, he admitted that there was one true love. In a remarkably candid interview with Vanity Fair, he revealed how Hollywood star Sally Fields was the woman he would remember for the rest of his days.

The two of them met on Smokey and the Bandit set in 1977.

Reynolds fell head over heels in love with Field, and he would later reveal that he was the one who took the fight to get Field onboard for Smokey and the Bandit. The filmmakers, however, weren’t convinced and didn’t think that the actress was “sexy enough”. But Burt stood up for the actress, and Fields eventually landed the role.

“gave me a feeling that I was sexy, and I wanted to be everything he ever wanted.”

The high-profile couple seemed like a match made in heaven and continued to co-star movies, including 1978’s” Hooper and The End.” For a while, Fields was very happy with Burt. She said that she wanted to be everything he ”ever wanted” and that he gave her ”a feeling that I was sexy”.

The actor kept his regret for more than 40 years, and Sally refused to have any contact with him during the last years of Burt’s life. In fact, she didn’t talk to him for decades and the Steel Magnolias actress didn’t want to have any kind of relationship with her former boyfriend.

The real reason behind the break-up has never been clarified, but there were rumors that Burt was cheating on Fields. For Sally, it was very embarrassing when the reports came, and she felt like a fool.

And yet, in the wake of his passing, Fields finally decided to speak out and admitted something that probably would have broken Burt’s heart.

Sally also said that she’s glad that Burt passed away before she was publishing her memories. According to the actress, Burt wouldn’t appreciate some of the passages in the book.

Sally also said that she’s glad that Burt passed away before she was publishing her memories. According to the actress, Burt wouldn’t appreciate some of the passages in the book. For example, she described her former love partner as ”confusing, complicated and hurtful.”

”I felt glad that he wasn’t going to read it, he wasn’t going to be asked about it, and he wasn’t going to have to defend himself or lash out, which he probably would have,” she said.

Though Burt was given another chance at his special romance with Sally Fields, we hope wherever he is now he knows she harbored feelings for him long after they were separated.