Sissy Spacek Timeline

Dec. 25, 1949: Born as Mary Elizabeth Spacek in Quitman, Texas to Virginia and Edwin A. Spacek.

Early 60s: Jealous that her dad keeps taking her brothers hunting and not her, she goes out on her own with her dad's .410 shotgun. When seeing a dove in a tree, she obliterates it and afterwards can never shake the remorse.

1961: Idolizes Clara Barton, Helen Keller, and Florence Nightingale.

1967: Brother Robbie dies of leukemia, prompting her to skip college. She decides life is too short to waste four years.

1967: Graduates from Quitman High School. She is Homecoming Queen.

1970: Attends Strasberg's new Institute Of The Theater.

1970: Makes unofficial, unacredited debut as extra at bar in Trash.

June 8, 1972: Makes official film debut in Prime Cut, playing Poppy with Gene Hackman.

Oct. 15, 1973: Plays Holly Sargis in Badlands.

1974: Marries Jack Fisk.

Nov. 3, 1976: Plays Carrie White in Stephen King's Carrie, with John Travolta.

Feb. 22, 1980: Plays Loretta Webb in Coal Miner's Daughter, with Tommy Lee Jones. Wins an Oscar.

Feb. 22, 1982: Plays Beth Horman in Missing.

July 8, 1982: Gives birth to Schuyler Fisk.

1983: Releases debut country LP Hangin' Up My Heart.

Dec. 18, 1984: Plays Mae Garvey in The River, with Mel Gibson.

1988: Gives birth to Virginia Madison Fisk.

Dec. 20, 1991: Plays Liz Garrison in JFK, with John Candy, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, and Donald Sutherland.

Jan. 19, 2001: Plays Ruth Fowler in In the Bedroom, with Marisa Tomei.