Sissy Spacek’s touching new book “My Extraordinary Ordinary Life” is an autobiography where she emphasizes that no matter who we are, we all have something in common.
“Our perception of celebrities in Hollywood is not the reality," Sissy tells me. "The reality of our lives is so much like everyone else’s life. We have family members we love, everyone gets up in the morning, they have three meals a day and they go about their business ... Of course, Brad and Angelina’s children don’t care who they are. Isn’t that what we love about them? We see her children holding her hands and arm and dragging on her coat. This is a beautiful, talented mega-movie star and she’s holding this little child’s hand.”
Admitting that fame can be intoxicating, especially after you win an Academy Award, Sissy says going home and being surrounded by friends and family is what kept her grounded.
“Fame sweeps you away," Sissy explains. "I had to go home every six months to remember who I am. The night I got home from the Academy Awards there were four dozen yellow roses from my hometown. It was a reminder of who I truly am. It’s impossible not to get swept away. Having children, they don’t care who you think you are.”
Although writing a book has been on Sissy's horizon for some time, it wasn't until she reached the same age that her mother and grandmother died that she realized they never had the chance to tell their stories.
“I’ve not had a mean life," Sissy says. "I have had a lovely life and I wanted to put the things in it that were the most important to me. I had great trepidation about talking about my brother and his illness and death. I have had nights I have woken up in a bit of a panic thinking all the things I protected the most, my personal life and my children and my husband and the death of my brother. I’ve protected these things all these years and now I’m laying them out there, my most precious memories. I also thought 'Oh my God, when I go to a party or have friends over I have to think of new stories to tell.' You don’t think about the past until you get older.”
“My Extraordinary Ordinary Life" is in stores now.
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