Shirley MacLaine, an iconic actress of the 1960s, remains a celebrated figure in Hollywood at age 90. Her breakthrough came in 1955 with The Trouble with Harry, and she went on to deliver memorable performances in classics such as The Apartment, Irma la Douce, and Terms of Endearment. Though she’s scaled back her appearances in recent years, MacLaine continues to act, driven by a passion for the craft and the personal growth it brings.
Her personal life has been more complicated. She was married to film producer Steve Parker for nearly three decades before their marriage ended in 1982. Their daughter, Sachi Parker, spent most of her early years in Japan with her father. While MacLaine focused on her career in the U.S., the couple maintained a mostly open relationship and remained friends despite the distance.
MacLaine often prioritized her work over motherhood, believing that immersing herself in her career helped her avoid the dissatisfaction she might have felt at home. This decision, shaped by seeing her own mother give up her dreams, added strain to her relationship with Sachi. Raised across different countries and boarding schools in Europe, Sachi has openly discussed the emotional distance and loneliness she experienced growing up—stories she shares in her memoir Lucky Me: My Life With — and Without — My Mom.
Shirley has also been candid about her unconventional marriage and romantic life, admitting to relationships with several co-stars. However, two notable actors—Jack Lemmon and Jack Nicholson—were exceptions. She saw Lemmon more like a sister, and said Nicholson’s constant humor would have made romance impossible, joking, “I would laugh too much.”
Sachi’s book portrays Shirley as a sometimes-remote mother, and the two often clashed in their views on family. While Shirley embraced a free-spirited lifestyle, Sachi craved consistency and emotional closeness—especially during her teenage years, when she often spent holidays alone and felt neglected.
Now in a more reflective stage of life, Shirley lives quietly on a ranch in New Mexico. Her focus has shifted inward, finding joy in her pets and close-knit friendships. Though her romantic life is no longer in the spotlight, her connection with Sachi, though still complex, has grown and matured. Sachi, now raising her own children, draws from her upbringing to build a more grounded and emotionally connected family of her own.
Leave a Reply