William Hurt | |
|---|---|
 Hurt signing autographs at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | William McChord Hurt March 20, 1950 |
| Died | March 13, 2022 (aged 71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Tufts University (BA) Juilliard School (GrDip) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1] |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Beth Hurt (m. 1971–82) Heidi Henderson (m. 1989–92) |
| Partner(s) | Sandra Jennings (1981–1984) Marlee Matlin (1985–1986) Sandrine Bonnaire (1992–1997) |
| Children | 4 |
William McChord Hurt[2][3] (March 20, 1950-March 13, 2022) is an American actor. He studied at the Juilliard School and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut in 1980 as a troubled scientist in Ken Russell's science-fiction feature Altered States, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year. In 1981 he played a leading role, as a lawyer who succumbs to the temptations of Kathleen Turner, in the neo-noir Body Heat. He played another leading role, as Arkady Renko, in Gorky Park (1983).
In 1985 Hurt garnered critical acclaim and multiple acting awards, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor, for Kiss of the Spider Woman. He received another two Academy Award nominations for his lead performances in Children of a Lesser God (1986) and Broadcast News (1987). Hurt remained an active stage actor throughout the 1980s, appearing in Off-Broadway productions including Henry V, Fifth of July, Richard II and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hurt received his first Tony Award nomination in 1985 for the Broadway production of Hurlyburly.
After a variety of character roles in the following decade, Hurt earned his fourth Academy Award nomination for his supporting performance in David Cronenberg's crime thriller A History of Violence (2005). Other notable recent films include A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), The Village (2004), Syriana (2005), The Good Shepherd (2006), Mr. Brooks (2007), Into the Wild (2007), Robin Hood (2010), and the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, in which he portrays Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross.[4]
Early life[]
Hurt was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Claire Isabel (née McGill; 1923-1971),[5] who worked at Time Inc., and Alfred McChord Hurt (1910-1996), who worked for the State Department.,[6] He has two brothers.[7] With his father, he lived in Lahore, Mogadishu and Khartoum.[8] After his parents divorced, his mother married Henry Luce III (a son of publisher Henry Luce) during Hurt's childhood. Hurt attended the Middlesex School, where he was vice president of the Dramatics Club and had the lead role in several school plays. He graduated in 1968 and his yearbook predicted, "you might even see him on Broadway." Hurt attended Tufts University and studied theology,[9] but turned instead to acting and joined the Juilliard School (Drama Division Group 5: 1972–1976).[10] Two of his classmates there were Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams.
Career[]
Hurt began his career in stage productions, only later acting in films. From 1977 to 1989, he was a member of the acting company at Circle Repertory Company. He won an Obie Award for his debut appearance there in Corinne Jacker's My Life, and won a 1978 Theatre World Award for his performances in Fifth of July, Ulysses in Traction, and Lulu. In 1979, Hurt played Hamlet under the direction of Marshall W. Mason opposite Lindsay Crouse and Beatrice Straight. His first major film role was in the science-fiction film Altered States where his performance as an obsessed scientist gained him wide recognition. His performance with Richard Crenna, Ted Danson and newcomer Kathleen Turner in Lawrence Kasdan's neo-noir classic Body Heat elevated Hurt to stardom, and he later also co-starred in The Big Chill (1983). He appeared in the thriller Gorky Park opposite Lee Marvin. He received the Best Male Performance Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Actor for Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1985. He has received three additional Oscar nominations: Best Actor for Children of a Lesser God (1986) and Broadcast News (1987; he was thus nominated for Best Actor for three consecutive years) and Best Supporting Actor for A History Of Violence (2005). Hurt also starred in Tuck Everlasting as Angus Tuck.
Often cast as an intellectual, Hurt has starred as such in films such as Lost in Space, but has also been effective in other kinds of role, as in I Love You to Death and David Cronenberg's psychological drama A History of Violence (2005), where in less than 10 minutes of screen time he plays the creepy mob boss, Richie Cusack. Also in 2005, Hurt played a mysterious government operative in Stephen Gaghan's ensemble drama about the politics of big oil, Syriana.
Hurt was in the miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes, in a piece entitled Battleground (also notable for its complete lack of dialogue). He plays Renshaw, a hitman who receives a package from the widow of a toymaker he had killed, unaware of what is waiting inside for him. He appeared in the cast of Vanya, an adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, at the Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland, Oregon.[11]
In June 2007, Marvel Studios announced Hurt would portray the Hulk character General "Thunderbolt" Ross in 2008's The Incredible Hulk alongside Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and Tim Roth.[12] Hurt reprised his role in Captain America: Civil War (2016),[13] Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
He appeared in Sean Penn's film Into the Wild, the true story of Christopher McCandless. He appeared as President Henry Ashton in the 2008 action-thriller Vantage Point. Hurt also played Mr. Brooks's alter ego in Mr. Brooks starring Kevin Costner.
In 2009, Hurt became a series regular on the FX series Damages playing a corporate whistleblower opposite Glenn Close and Marcia Gay Harden. For his role in the series, Hurt earned a 2009 Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" category. Hurt's 2009 Sundance film The Yellow Handkerchief was released in theaters on February 26, 2010, by Samuel Goldwyn Films. He was in the Thailand-based 2011 thriller Hellgate alongside Cary Elwes and Paula Taylor, directed by John Penney.[14]
In September 2010, Hurt played United States Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson in the HBO film Too Big to Fail, an adaptation of Andrew Ross Sorkin's book. He also starred as Captain Ahab in the 2011 television adaptation of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick.
In 2018, he was cast as the lead in The Coldest Game (2019), but after he was injured in an off-set accident, he was replaced by Bill Pullman.[15]
Personal life[]
Hurt is fluent in French and maintains a home outside Paris. He is the stepgrandson of Henry Luce, founder of Time magazine and actress-writer Clare Boothe Luce, through his mother's marriage to Henry Luce's son from his first marriage, Henry Luce III.[16]
Hurt was married to Mary Beth Hurt from 1971 to 1982.[16] In the 1980s he was involved in a lawsuit with Sandra Jennings, who alleged that they had a common-law marriage.[17] While he was still married, Hurt and Jennings had begun a relationship in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1981.[17] Jennings became pregnant in the spring of 1982, which precipitated Hurt's divorce from Mary Beth Hurt, after which Hurt and Jennings relocated to South Carolina, a state that recognized common-law marriages.[17] Hurt and Jennings remained officially unmarried and later separated. Jennings sued him in New York, seeking recognition of the "marriage" under South Carolina law.[17] The New York court did not recognize common-law marriage, was reluctant to recognize a common-law marriage originating in South Carolina, and found in Hurt's favor that no common-law marriage existed.[17]
Hurt dated Marlee Matlin for one year, and they cohabited for two years.[18] In 1986, after Matlin won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God, Hurt reportedly asked her to consider what it meant to win the Oscar after just one film, when others won only after many years of hard work. "What makes you think you deserved it, Marlee?" Hurt allegedly asked her in the limousine after the ceremony.[19] In her 2009 autobiography I'll Scream Later, Matlin said that their relationship involved considerable drug abuse and physical abuse by Hurt.[20] In response to the accusations aired on CNN on April 13, 2009, Hurt's agent declined to respond, but Hurt issued a statement the following day, which said: "My own recollection is that we both apologized and both did a great deal to heal our lives. Of course, I did and do apologize for any pain I caused. And I know we have both grown. I wish Marlee and her family nothing but good."[21]
Hurt has four children: one with Jennings, two with Heidi Henderson, and one with French actress, film director and screenwriter Sandrine Bonnaire.[16]
Hurt is a private pilot and owner of a Beechcraft Bonanza.[22]
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Altered States | Professor Edward Jessup | Ken Russell | Nominated – Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor |
| 1981 | Eyewitness | Daryll Deever | Peter Yates | |
| Body Heat | Ned Racine | Lawrence Kasdan | ||
| 1983 | The Big Chill | Nick Carlton | Lawrence Kasdan | |
| Gorky Park | Arkady Renko | Michael Apted | ||
| 1985 | Kiss of the Spider Woman | Luis Alberto Molina | Héctor Babenco | Academy Award for Best Actor BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Cannes Film Festival - Best Actor Award David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actor London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (tied with Raul Julia) Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated – National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor Nominated – New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor |
| 1986 | Children of a Lesser God | James Leeds | Randa Haines | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama |
| 1987 | Broadcast News | Tom Grunick | James L. Brooks | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated – New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor |
| 1988 | A Time of Destiny | Martin Larraneta | Gregory Nava | |
| The Accidental Tourist | Macon Leary | Lawrence Kasdan | Golden Horse Award for Best Foreign Actor | |
| 1990 | I Love You to Death | Harlan James | Lawrence Kasdan | |
| Alice | Doug Tate | Woody Allen | ||
| 1991 | Until the End of the World | Sam Farber, alias Trevor McPhee | Wim Wenders | |
| The Doctor | Dr. Jack MacKee | Randa Haines | Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor | |
| 1992 | The Plague | Doctor Bernard Rieux | Luis Puenzo | |
| 1993 | Mr. Wonderful | Tom | Anthony Minghella | |
| 1994 | Second Best | Graham Holt | Chris Menges | |
| Trial by Jury | Tommy Vesey | Heywood Gould | ||
| 1995 | Smoke | Paul Benjamin | Wayne Wang | |
| 1996 | A Couch in New York | Henry Harriston | Chantal Akerman | |
| Michael | Frank Quinlan | Nora Ephron | ||
| Jane Eyre | Edward Fairfax Rochester | Franco Zeffirelli | ||
| 1997 | Loved | K.D. Dietrickson | Erin Dignam | |
| 1998 | Lost in Space | Professor John Robinson | Stephen Hopkins | |
| Dark City | Inspector Frank Bumstead | Alex Proyas | ||
| One True Thing | George Gulden | Carl Franklin | ||
| 1999 | The 4th Floor | Greg Harrison | Josh Klausner | |
| Sunshine | Andor Knorr | István Szabó | Nominated – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | |
| The Big Brass Ring | William Blake Pellarin | George Hickenlooper | ||
| Do Not Disturb | Walter Richmond | Dick Maas | a.k.a. Silent Witness | |
| 2000 | Contaminated Man | David R. Whitman | Anthony Hickox | |
| The Miracle Maker | Jairus (voice) | Derek W. Hayes and Stanislav Sokolov | ||
| 2001 | Rare Birds | Restaurateur | Sturla Gunnarsson | |
| A.I. Artificial Intelligence | Professor Allen Hobby | Steven Spielberg | ||
| The Simian Line | Edward | Linda Yellen | ||
| 2002 | Tuck Everlasting | Angus Tuck | Jay Russell | |
| Changing Lanes | Doyle Gipson's AA Sponsor | Roger Michell | ||
| Nearest to Heaven | Matt | Tonie Marshall | ||
| 2004 | The Blue Butterfly | Alan Osborne | Léa Pool | |
| The Village | Edward Walker | M. Night Shyamalan | ||
| 2005 | The King | David Sandow | James Marsh | |
| A History of Violence | Richie Cusack | David Cronenberg | Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor North Texas Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – International Cinephile Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| Neverwas | Dr. Peter Reed | Joshua Michael Stern | ||
| Syriana | Stan Goff | Stephen Gaghan | ||
| 2006 | The Good Shepherd | CIA Director Philip Allen | Robert De Niro | |
| The Legend of Sasquatch | John Davis (voice) | Thomas Callicoat | Also co-producer | |
| 2007 | Mr. Brooks | Marshall | Bruce A. Evans | |
| Beautiful Ohio | Simon Messerman | Chad Lowe | ||
| Noise | Mayor Schneer | Henry Bean | ||
| Into the Wild | Walt McCandless | Sean Penn | Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | |
| 2008 | Vantage Point | President Harry Ashton | Pete Travis | |
| The Incredible Hulk | Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross | Louis Leterrier | ||
| 2009 | The Countess | György Thurzó | Julie Delpy | |
| 2010 | The Yellow Handkerchief | Brett Hanson | Udayan Prasad | |
| Robin Hood | William Marshal | Ridley Scott | ||
| 2011 | The River Why | Henning Hale-Orviston | Matthew Leutwyler | |
| Late Bloomers | Adam | Julie Gavras | ||
| Hellgate | Warren Mills | John Penney | ||
| 2013 | The Host | Jeb Stryder | Andrew Niccol | |
| The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby | Julian Rigby | Ned Benson | ||
| Fire in the Blood | Narrator (voice) | Dylan Mohan Gray | Documentary | |
| Days and Nights | Herb | Christian Camargo | ||
| 2014 | Winter's Tale | Isaac Penn | Akiva Goldsman | |
| 2016 | Race | Jeremiah Mahoney | Stephen Hopkins | |
| Captain America: Civil War |
Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross | Anthony and Joe Russo | ||
| 2018 | The Miracle Season | Ernie Found | Sean McNamara | |
| Avengers: Infinity War | Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross | Anthony and Joe Russo | Cameo | |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | |||
| The Last Full Measure | Tom Tulley | Todd Robinson | ||
| 2021 | Black Widow | Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross | Cate Shortland | Post-production |
| TBA | The King's Daughter | Père La Chaise | Sean McNamara | Post-production |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Best of Families | James Lathrop | Miniseries multiple episodes |
| Kojak | Jake | 2 episodes | |
| 1978 | Verna: U.S.O. Girl | Walter | Television movie |
| 1998 | Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman | Self | Documentary |
| 2000 | Frank Herbert's Dune | Duke Leto I Atreides[23] | 3 episodes |
| 2001 | The Flamingo Rising | Turner Knight | TV film |
| Varian's War | Varian Fry | Television movie Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | |
| 2002 | The King of Queens | Dr. Taber | Episode: "Shrink Wrap" |
| Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story | Robert Hanssen | Television movie | |
| 2004 | Frankenstein | Professor Waldman | Television movie |
| 2006 | Nightmares and Dreamscapes | Jason Renshaw | Episode: "Battleground" |
| 2009 | Damages | Daniel Purcell | 10 episodes Nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series |
| Endgame | Willie Esterhuyse | TV movie Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | |
| 2011 | Moby Dick | Captain Ahab | 2 episodes |
| Too Big to Fail | Henry Paulson | Television movie Nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | |
| 2013 | Bonnie & Clyde | Frank Hamer | 2 episodes Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| The Challenger | Richard Feynman | Television movie | |
| 2015 | Humans | George Millican | 7 episodes (main cast) |
| 2016 | Beowulf | Hrothgar | 5 episodes |
| 2016–19 | Goliath[24] | Donald Cooperman | 12 episodes |
| 2018–20 | Condor | Bob Partridge[25] | Main cast |
Audiobook narration[]
| Year | Book | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | The Polar Express | Narrator | Cassette tape only |
References[]
- ↑ "William Hurt".
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Obituary "Survivors include two sons from his first marriage, the actor William McChord Hurt and James Harlan Hurt, both of New York; and five grandchildren"
- ↑ "FindACase™ - SANDRA JENNINGS v. WILLIAM MCCHORD HURT (02/14/91)".
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "New Black Widow Set Photos Confirm William Hurt on Set". Marvel. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/luce_claire_mcgill_1923-1971/#.X0TgaNxvZhY
- ↑ "William Hurt – Profile, Latest News and Related Articles". E!. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/24/archives/mrs-henry-lute-3d-nvestrnent-analyst-is-deadl-wife-of-time-pnbliher.html
- ↑ "William Hurt: In Every Role, A New Life To Inhabit". NPR. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "William Hurt". The New York Times.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Alumni News: September 2007". Juilliard.edu. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011.
William Hurt (Group 5)
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "William Hurt returns to Portland for 'Vanya'". Portland Tribune. http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=116180399236906300.
- ↑ "William Hurt Joins Incredible Hulk Cast as General Thunderbolt Ross". Marvel.com. June 14, 2007. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Marvel Studios Begins Production on Marvel's 'Captain America: Civil War'". Marvel.com. June 14, 2007. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "AFM '09: See Carey Elwes in 'Shadows' Promo Trailer". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Bill Pullman replaces William Hurt in "The Coldest Game"". filmcommissionpoland.pl.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Overview for William Hurt". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Jennings v. Hurt, N.Y.L.J., October 4, 1989, at 24 (Sup. Ct. N.Y. County), aff'd, 554 N.Y.S.2d 220 (App. Div. 1990), appeal denied, 568 N.Y.S.2d 347 (N.Y. 1991)
- ↑ Matlin, Marlee. I'll Scream Later. (2009)
- ↑ Goodison, Donna (2019-05-23). "Actress Marlee Matlin: Courage Plus Dreams Equals Success". CRN. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Marlee Matlin: Baby sitter's abuse led to life of drugs, violence." CNN. April 14, 2009
- ↑ Grossberg, Josh. "William Hurt to Marlee Matlin: "I Apologize for Any Pain I Caused"." E!. April 14, 2009
- ↑ "A Plane-crazy America". AOPA Pilot: 79.
- ↑ Fritz, Steve (December 4, 2000). "Dune: Remaking the Classic Novel". Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2018 – via Cinescape.com.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Elavsky, Cindy (September 21, 2015). "Celebrity Q&A". King Features. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Denise Petski (April 12, 2017). "'Condor': William Hurt & Bob Balaban To Topline Audience Network Series; Full Cast Set". Deadline magazine. https://deadline.com/2017/04/condor-william-hurt-bob-balaban-audience-network-series-cast-1202068252/.
External links[]
- William Hurt at the Internet Movie Database
- William Hurt at the Internet Broadway Database
- William Hurt at the Internet Off-Broadway DatabaseLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 21: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Comprehensive career-overview interview with William Hurt