Sissy Spacek rose to fame in the 1970s for her iconic roles in films such as “Carrie.” However, at the peak of her award-winning career, the actress did something unusual — she turned her back on Hollywood. Instead, she settled down in the countryside and revealed the personal reason for her departure from the spotlight.
Sissy Spacek turned 74 in 2023 and surprised many with her ageless beauty at a recent event. The actress’s impressive acting career has spanned decades but, she seemingly disappeared from the limelight in the 1980s.
Spacek has since opened up about why she left Los Angeles for a peaceful life in the countryside and gave fans a glimpse of how she spent her days away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood.
From Texas Roots to Hollywood Stardom
Sissy Spacek was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek in Quitman, Texas, and grew up in the countryside, climbing trees, riding horses, swimming, and playing in the woods. Her high school years were equally vibrant, as the actress was crowned Quitman High School’s homecoming queen.
Sissy Spacek in a publicity portrait for “Prime Cut” in 1972. | Source: Getty Images
After graduating, Sissy was drawn to acting, largely influenced by her cousin, actor Rip Torn. However, her path to stardom was marked by the profound loss of her brother to leukemia, a tragedy that had a lasting impact on her.
“For me, the grief was almost like rocket fuel. It made me fearless. I lost interest in trivial things,” the actress revealed in her 2012 memoir, “My Extraordinary Ordinary Life.”
Embracing her newfound fearlessness, Sissy boldly moved to New York City and enrolled in the Actors Studio’s New York branch. Alongside her acting studies, she pursued work as a model and singer.
She performed in West Village showcases like “The Bitter End” for $10 a night. Her dedication and talent soon paid off when she broke into the film industry with a significant role as Holly in the 1973 classic “Badlands.”
Sissy Spacek on the set of “Badlands,” circa 1973. | Source: Getty Images
This performance set the stage for her subsequent success. In 1976, she delivered a star-making, Oscar-nominated performance in “Carrie,” playing a humiliated prom queen who unleashes her telekinetic powers.
The role required intense preparation, both physically and mentally. During an interview, Sissy shared the grueling ways she prepared to tackle this iconic character.
“I wanted to feel really badly about myself. There’s nothing like not washing your face or brushing your teeth in the morning. I put Vaseline in my hair. That made me feel really bad about myself. And that helps with the character,” the actress said.
Sissy’s portrayal of Carrie catapulted her to stardom and established her as a remarkable talent in Hollywood. In 1980, she won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” further cementing her status as one of the most respected actresses of her generation.
Robert De Niro, Sissy Spacek, Robert L. Schwary, and Robert Redford backstage at the Academy Awards on March 31, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
A Chance Meeting
In 1972, while working on the set of “Badlands,” Sissy met Jack Fisk, who was serving as the art director for the film. “Jack had built this incredible treehouse on a river. One day he asked me to ride home with him on a boat,” Sissy recalled.
“We loaded up, and there came a terrible flash flood. The boat sank. Right then I knew life with Jack was going to be eventful,” the actress continued. Sissy and Jack married two years later in 1974.
This was despite their skepticism of marriage. “We never expected a lifelong relationship. In fact, we even opened a bank account and put $30 in it because that’s how much it cost to get divorced,” Sissy confessed.
As the years passed, they grew closer instead of drifting apart. By 1983, Sissy remarked, “Now I think it would take something dramatic like death to end it.” Their professional lives were also often intertwined, leading to numerous collaborations.
Sissy Spacek and Jack Fisk, circa 1982. | Source: Getty Images
One notable project was the 1981 film “Raggedy Man,” directed by Jack. Reflecting on their professional dynamics, Sissy stated, “The husband and wife were not allowed on the set. The director and the actress dealt with each other as professionals.” She also admired Jack’s artistic talents and dedication.
“My husband is such a wonderful artist. He’s phenomenal, and I learned so much from him about the artist’s life, and about work, and what it involves, and how much you have to give,” the actress said.
Sissy Spacek and Jack Fisk’s Move to Rural Virginia
In the early 1980s, at the peak of her illustrious career, Sissy made a surprising choice. After starring in nine feature films, winning an Oscar, and receiving two additional Oscar nominations, she decided to step away from the Hollywood spotlight.
Rather than continuing on the traditional path of a movie star, Sissy and her husband chose to stop and smell the roses. The couple sold their fashionable Topanga Canyon home and moved east to embrace a more grounded existence.
Sissy Spacek and Jack Fisk at the AFI Life Achievement Awards honoring Gene Kelly on March 7, 1985, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
There, they purchased a 210-acre horse farm in rural northern Virginia. Sissy’s decision to leave Los Angeles was driven by a desire to live a more authentic life. “If you live only a movie-star life, you know only movie-star things. I needed to live a regular life with normal people around,” she revealed.
This move was not a rejection of their love for L.A., but a conscious choice to provide their children with a more natural environment. “[An environment] where they could make mistakes, ride ponies, do stupid stuff, and climb trees and not have to deal with that celebrity child thing,” Sissy explained.
Settling into their new life, the “Carrie” star and Jack welcomed two daughters. From the beginning of their relationship, they joked about their potential children resembling the character Howdy Doody. Jack was six foot two and a half with dark features and a distinctive gap between his teeth.
Sissy, at five foot two and a half, had a lighter complexion and freckles. They anticipated a unique blend in their children but were blessed with one child resembling each parent. Their eldest daughter, Schuyler, looked like her mother, while their second daughter, Madison, took after her father.
Madison Fisk, Sissy Spacek, Jack Fisk, and Schuyler Fisk at The 74th Annual Academy Awards on March 24, 2002. | Source: Getty Images
By 1991, Sissy’s days were a blend of routine and tranquility. She would wake up early and start her day with a four-mile run through the countryside, then enjoy a quiet moment on the back porch, sharing a cup of coffee with Jack.
Once Schuyler headed off to school, Sissy immersed herself in farm life. She tended to her garden, baked bread, and created a nurturing environment for her family. After lunch, she would put Madison down for a nap.
The actress then retreated to her home office to read scripts or collaborate with Jack. Sometimes, they indulged in simple pleasures like horseback riding or, as Sissy humorously noted, “doing something real fun, like going to the dump.”
In 2024, at 74 years old, Sissy Spacek was the picture of timeless beauty. She attended the 96th Annual Academy Awards with her husband in California, exuding elegance as she walked the red carpet in an all-black ensemble, proving that farm life was treating her well.
Sissy Spacek’s Daughters Following in Her and Her Husband’s Footsteps
Despite Sissy and Jack’s efforts to shield their children from “that celebrity child thing,” both daughters pursued careers in the film industry. Schuyler became an actress and musician. Madison pursued a career as a production designer and art director.
Madison began her journey into the creative arts by studying painting and video art at the California Institute of the Arts before enrolling at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her education led her to spend several years designing and building sets.
In contrast, Schuyler pursued a more public-facing career in acting and music. In 2022, she expressed gratitude for her upbringing outside of Los Angeles, appreciating the “normal-ish” childhood her parents provided.
However, the singer and actress admitted that her perspective was different during her youth. “When I was younger, I hated that. I wanted to be in the mix of everything, and I told them. […] When I was six I told them they were ruining my career because we weren’t living in Los Angeles,” Schuyler recalled.
That same year, Schuyler revealed that she had been asked to play her mother’s iconic role in another “Carrie” remake. Despite the tempting offer, she declined, and remarked that it “just didn’t feel like the right thing for so many reasons.”
“I feel like ‘Carrie’ is such an epic film as it is. So, the idea of trying to do anything else to recreate it just didn’t feel necessary,” she elaborated. Although she turned down the chance to reprise her mother’s legendary role, Schuyler embraced the opportunity to work with Sissy by portraying her onscreen daughter in the film “Sam & Kate.”
In 2018, Schuyler took to social media to share beautiful snaps of her and her famous mom. The mother-daughter duo’s beauty was not lost on the actress/singer’s fans. “You both look so beautiful!!” one person shared in part. “Both mother and daughter look gorgeous,” another Instagram user typed.
“Oh my God! You are a spitting image of your mother!” a third person commented. Schuyler has also made Sissy a proud grandmother. The singer and actress shared adorable pictures of her beautiful daughters in a heartwarming Instagram post in 2018.
Beyond her professional achievements, Schuyler has also been open about her personal struggles. In March 2019, she bravely discussed her battle with endometriosis in honor of Endometriosis Awareness Month.
“I rarely post anything very personal on this forum. But this is important. March is endometriosis awareness month, and it’s important we start talking about this ‘invisible illness,’” she shared in part in an emotional Instagram post.
Despite taking a hiatus from acting, Sissy returned to the screen in 2001 and has continued to showcase her talent over the years. She has balanced her professional accomplishments with being a loving mother and grandmother, remaining a beloved icon in the entertainment industry.