- Has received humanitarian awards including Blue Cross and the Crippled Children's Society.
- Daughter and namesake of fashion editor Sally Kirkland. Her mother was fashion editor at first Vogue and later Life magazines. She was the only fashion editor at Life magazine during its history (1944-1969). She is legendary for putting Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Faye Dunaway and Jacqueline Kennedy on the magazine's cover, making them fashion icons.
- Goddaughter of Shelley Winters.
- Began her acting career off-Broadway circa 1963.
- Famously appeared fully nude, whilst riding bareback astride a large hog to illustrate Tom O'Horgan's movie Futz (1969) on the cover of Al Goldstein's Screw magazine.
- Strong supporter of gay and lesbian rights and AIDS awareness. She has taught various workshops for gay communities and campaigned for various AIDS organizations and was a caretaker of AIDS patients, as well as cancer patients through the 1980s.
- Gallery-shown painter and famous acting teacher whose students include have included Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Roseanne Barr, Dwight Yoakam and Sandra Bullock, among others.
- In a television interview, she reported that she used money from her role in EDtv (1999) to have her breast implants removed.
- Lifetime member of the Actors Studio.
- She was the first actress to appear nude in a legitimate stage play, in the 1968 Off-Broadway premiere of "Sweet Eros" by Terrence McNally.
- Alumna of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1961.
- She won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress in the drama movie Anna (1987).
- In a 2021 documentary about Dennis Hopper for the cable network Reelz, Kirkland freely admitted that she had a one-night stand with him.
- Also a health activist including advocating for women harmed by breast implants. She founded the Kirkland Institute for Implant Survival Syndrome (August 1998).
- Was a regular on the Howard Stern radio show in its hey-day during the 1990's; Howard's father, Ben Stern, although married, had a huge crush on Sally, who was friends with both Ben and Ray Stern, Howard's parents.
- An ordained minister in the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, she teaches classes that combine drama, yoga and meditation.
- She appeared in DJ Polo and Ron Jeremy's music video "Freak of the Week" (1996).
- Friends with actress/model Lana Clarkson.
- Was given #1 position for Losing Oscar face by The Awards Contender.
- She appeared in singer/rapper Bobby Brown's music video "On Our Own" (1989).
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