William Hurt Biography

William Hurt William Hurt has built a reputation playing several reflective characters. He has a knack for choosing critically acclaimed films, if not gigantic box office smashes. His dedication to quality roles has rewarded him with a Best Actor Academy Award for Kiss of the Spider Woman, and nominations for Children of a Lesser God, Broadcast News, and A History Of Violence. Born in 1950 in Washington DC, William Hurt is the stepson of Henry Luce III who began Time Magazine. William took part in school plays and made a good impression on his teachers. He enrolled in a theology course in college, but the love of acting lured him away to the prestigious Juilliard Drama School, where he graduated to find many roles on stage. Hurt went on to play in movies and gained prominence in The Big Chill in 1983. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, it tells the story of a group of old, college friends and features Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, and Kevin Kline. This was soon followed by Kiss of the Spider Woman, in which William and Raul Julia play cellmates in a South American prison. Hector Babenco directed. Another dramatic performance was praised, when William Hurt appeared in Children of a Lesser God, as a teacher at a school for the deaf. Directed by Randa Haines, it co-starred deaf actress Marlee Matlin and Piper Laurie. William then did the comedy drama, Broadcast News. Set in the world of the television newsroom, it starred Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter and Lois Chiles. It was directed by James L.Brooks. William Hurt took a change of direction in 2001, when he accepted a role in a science fiction film, based on a story by celebrated author Brian Aldiss. Steven Spielberg directed Artificial Intelligence: AI, and it co-starred Hayley Joel Osment, Jude Law, and Frances O Connor. 2005 was a good year for William Hurt, with two gritty performances to his credit. The political drama Syriana, directed by Stephen Gaghan was very well received, and starred George Clooney, Kayvan Novak and Christopher Plummer. William made a big impact in a very brief appearance in A History Of Violence, a tense drama directed by David Cronenberg. Adapted from the graphic novel, it starred Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris. Two projects that William Hurt is working on have scheduled release dates in 2007. Into the Wild is a drama directed by Sean Penn and also stars Emile Hirsch and Vince Vaughn. Vantage Point is a thriller starring Matthew Fox and Shelby Fenner, and is directed by Pete Travis. William Hurt has three sons and a daughter. He has been married twice, once to actress Mary Beth Hurt. He has also had relationships with actresses Sandrine Bonnaire and Marlee Matlin.