Sally Field's 3 Sons: All About Peter, Eli and Sam

Mar. 15, 2025

Sally Field and her sons Sam Greisman and Eli Craig at the the 42nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors on December 7, 2019.Photo:Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Sally Fieldis a proud mom to her sons: Peter, Eli and Sam.

Over the years,The Flying Nunstar has spoken about her love for her children. In a speech at the 2012 Human Rights Campaign annual national dinner,Field said, “The three things I am most proud of in my life are Peter, Eli and Sam. My sons.”

The Oscar winner added, “They are kind and loving, productive human beings. Each very different from the other.”

Field shares her elder sons, Peter and Eli, with her first husband, Steven Craig, and her youngest, Sam, with her second husband, Alan Greisman.

TheForrest Gumpactress was in her early 20s when she became a mom for the first time. Field told PEOPLE in 2023 that she apologized to her older sons for being a “young parent” while also recognizing how they motivated her.

“I had two little kids to take care of,” she said, “I didn’t have the luxury to throw my hands up and say, ‘Forget this whole acting thing — I’m gonna go and open up a boutique in Pasadena.’ My kids were fuel.”

Field added, “More times than not, they literally picked me up when I just felt crushed.”

Here is everything to know about Sally Field’s sons: Peter, Eli and Sam.

Peter Craig, 55

Peter Craig attends the 95th annual Oscars nominees luncheon at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on February 13, 2023.Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock

Field and her then-husband Steven welcomed their first child, son Peter, on Nov. 10, 1969.

“The very end of the second year of [The Flying]Nun, before the third even began, I was pregnant with my first child,” Field told PEOPLE in 2016, noting that her focus at the time was on “what was happening inside of” her.

According to theLos Angeles Times, Peter was shuttled between his mom’s movie sets and his dad’s commune during his childhood. When he was 28, Peter admitted toEntertainment Weeklythat he knew early on that his “mother wasn’t like other moms” and that his father “wasn’t really like other dads.”

Peter said, “In a way, my whole life has been full of extremes.” Part of this lifestyle included events with his mom — in 1982, he accompanied Field to the 8th annualPeople’s Choice Awards.

Sally Field and sons Sam Greisman and Peter Craig.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty

In addition to being a novelist, Field’s firstborn is also a screenwriter.Peter co-wrotethe 2022 blockbusterTop Gun: Maverick, which earned him anAcademy Awardnomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also co-wrote the screenplay for 2022’sThe Batmanand 2010’sThe Town.

Field is supportive of Peter’s career, and he toldEntertainment Weeklyin 1998 that “being the son of a famous person is a curious and difficult thing, and I think [writing] might just be the best way to handle that.”

Peter is also a parent: He shares two daughters with ex-wife Amy Scattergood and a son with ex-wife Jennifer DeFrancisco.

Speaking toOprah Winfreyin 2008,Field said, “My oldest son is this miraculously loving parent to his two little girls. When I watch him with them, I think, ‘Boy, I would have liked to have had comfort like that.’ "

The actress added, “They won’t have any trouble knowing how to love or be loved. To raise children who go on to be great parents is an accomplishment — that’s the Oscar moment in life.”

Eli Craig, 52

Sally Field, her son Eli Craig and her grandson at her Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony in California.Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock

Field and Steven celebrated the arrival of their second child together, son Eli, on May 25, 1972.

Similarly to his elder brother’s career, Eli is a writer and director who worked on 2017’sLittle EvilstarringAdam ScottandEvangeline Lilly. He also directedTucker & Dale vs Eviland an episode of his mom’s showBrothers & Sisters.

Eli married his wife Sasha, who played theYellow RangeronPower Rangers Lightspeed Rescue,in 2004. They are parents to two sons.

Field told Winfrey in 2008 that her son Eli would say she had “been a good and loving mom,” but she hadn’t “done a lot of things well.”

TheSybilstar explained, “It’s true; when he was grown, he told me that I didn’t discipline him enough. Can you believe it? I said, ‘I’d like you to try to discipline the kind of boy you were. You were absolutely uncontainable!’ "

Sam Greisman, 37

Sally Field with her son Sam Greisman at the 2017 Actors Fund Gala.Walter McBride/WireImage

Sam, who was born on Dec. 2, 1987, is Field’s first and only child with her second husband, Alan.

The mother and son have a strong bond. Field’s youngest wrote a personal essay for PEOPLE in 2023 about his experience coming out as gay to his mom and opened up more about their dynamic.

He added, “Maybe it’s because gay men feel a certain undeniable affection for award-winning actresses. Who knows! Whatever it is, we have always been incredibly close.”

Sam shared that he grew up “so connected” to his mother and that he can trace his life through her career. He remembered their time in California while Field worked onMrs. Doubtfire, the toy store in South Carolina where she filmedForrest Gumpand how she moved her schedule around for him amidBrothers & Sistersshooting.

Sally Field and her son Sam Greisman pose at the 2017 DKC/O&M Tony After Party on June 11, 2017 in New York City.Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/Getty

Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/Getty

She and her youngest sonteamed up in 2019to support the Equality Act as part of HRC’s Americans for the Equality Act campaign. Years earlier, in 2012, Field was presented with the organization’s Ally for Equality Award, and Sam introduced her at the ceremony.

“When I came out, she didn’t even bat an eye. In fact, she was overjoyed,” he shared from the podium. “Being gay was just one more thing she loved about me. She couldn’t be more supportive of me, if anything, I wish she was a little less supportive of me.”

Field memorablytried to connect Samwith his “Olympic crush"Adam Ripponin 2018.

In her remarks at the event, Field said, “He was always, always Sam. Glorious, smart, funny, sweet Sam. And finally at 20, long after he beat the crap out of his brothers at tennis and he knew more than anyone about basketball, at 20 he was finally able to stand up proudly and say, ‘I am a gay man.’ "

source: people.com