Sally Hardesty

Sally Hardesty is a fictional character in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. She made her first appearance in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) as a young woman investigating her grandfather’s grave after local grave robberies—crossing paths with Leatherface and his cannibalistic family in the process. Including the first film, Sally appears in four films of the franchise. Marilyn Burns portrays Sally in the first film and reprises the role in a cameo appearance in The Next Generation (1995). Stunt performer Elena Sanchez briefly portrays the character in the opening of Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), while Olwen Fouéré portrays the character in a supporting role in Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022). Filming for the original film was particularly challenging for Burns, who endured numerous injuries throughout the notoriously difficult shoot. While the character is noted for having little character development, Burns's visceral performance has been met with critical acclaim. The character has become a pop culture figure and is credited by film scholars as a catalyst for the final girl trope. Outside of film, the character has been included in merchandise.