William Hurt died after being nominated for Academy Awards for his roles in “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Broadcast News,” and “Children of a Lesser God,” among others. He was only 71 years old.
Hurt’s son, Will, told The Associated Press that his father died of natural causes on Sunday. Damage passed quietly, he claimed, surrounded by his family. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Will Hurt said his father died in Portland, Oregon. William was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018. It had an effect on his bones and was proving fatal.
Hurt, a four-time Oscar nominee, was one of the most celebrated and bankable leading men of the 1980s, starring as Vietnam veteran Nick Carlton in the all-star ensemble film “The Big Chill” in 1983 played college classmates reuniting.
Hurt, a four-time Oscar nominee, was one of the most celebrated and bankable leading men of the 1980s, starring as Vietnam veteran Nick Carlton in the all-star ensemble film “The Big Chill” in 1983 played college classmates reuniting.
Williams’s Oscar Nominations
Hurt had three Oscar nominations in three years, for his roles in 1985’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” 1986’s drama “Children of a Lesser God” (with “CODA” star Marlee Matlin), and 1987’s “Broadcast News,” in which he played a polished but lightweight TV anchor.
Hurt was also putting up for his supporting part in David Cronenberg’s thriller “A History of Violence,” which he starred in 2005. Richie Cusack, a cold-hearted criminal who gets around eight minutes of screen time before being killed by his heroic brother, was played by him (Viggo Mortensen).
Hurt played reclusive lawyer Donald Cooperman in Amazon’s courtroom series “Goliath” from 2016 until 2021, starring Billy Bob Thornton.
The actor was born on March 20, 1950, in Washington, D.C., the son of a State Department officer, and leaves behind four children. His acting career began on stage. He continued in theatre, with a cast that featured Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel, Jerry Stiller, Sigourney Weaver, and Cynthia Nixon in a 1984 Broadway production of “Hur Burly.”