Daryl Hannah Remembers Beloved Costars On ‘Steel Magnolias’ 35th Anniversary

It has been 35 years since Steel Magnolias premiered, and Daryl Hannah is remembering her time as Annelle Desoto on the show and the lasting friendships she made after. She admitted it was her first time experiencing women, as the cast was primarily female, which was a rare thing at the time.

The comedy-drama was directed by Herbert Ross and starred other fan favorites like Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts, whom Daryl recalls going on an unforgettable horseback ride with.

What is Daryl Hannah from ‘Steel Magnolias’ doing now?

After Steel Magnolias, Daryl starred in her most prominent hits, including Rear Window, where she played the supporting lead alongside Christopher Reeve. This role came after she was named among the top 100 sexiest stars in Film History by Empire Magazine. She had an impressive run in the early 2000s with Dancing at the Blue Iguana, A Walk to Remember, Northfork, Casa de los Babys and a few other films.

She also explored theater and did some behind-the-scenes work like writing, directing and producing for projects like The Last Supper and Strip Notes. The 63-year-old shares no children with her husband Neil Young, however, she is a present stepparent to his kids Zeke, Ben and Amber Jean.

Daryl Hannah recalls fun times on set

She admitted Steel Magnolias was her first positive experience working with women in Hollywood, as she often experienced competition and hyper-ambition from others. She felt encouraged by her castmates, who she considered funny and smart women.

Daryl revealed that director Ross wanted her to play Julia’s character, Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie; however, she insisted on portraying Annelle. Daryl said Ross was strict with Julia on set, and the A-list actress found solace with Field, who treated her like a daughter. Steel Magnolias earned Julia an Oscar nomination, while Shirley got a BAFTA nod for playing Louisa Boudreaux.