William Hurt, Oscar-winning actor, dies at 71

William Hurt — acclaimed actor of such films as Body Heat, Broadcast News, Children of a Lesser God, and Kiss of the Spider Woman — has died at age 71.

"It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday," Hurt's son Will said in a statement. "He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time."

Hurt had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer in 2018.

Hurt, a Washington, D.C. native, was born on March 20, 1950. After attending the famed Juilliard School, where he was classmates with Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve, Hurt made his professional debut on stage in 1977. He made his first film appearance in 1980's Altered States, which also marked the film debut of a young Drew Barrymore.

The actor found stardom following his 1982 role in Lawrence Kasdan's neo-noir thriller Body Heat, opposite Kathleen Turner, and the ensemble dramedy The Big Chill, also by Kasdan, in 1983. Hurt went on to win the Best Actor Oscar for 1985's Kiss of the Spider Woman, garnering two more consecutive nominations in the same category for 1986's Children of a Lesser God and 1987's Broadcast News.

Hurt briefly dated his Children of a Lesser God costar Marlee Matlin, which Matlin detailed in her 2009 autobiography I'll Scream Later. The Oscar-winning actress and CODA star claimed her relationship with Hurt involved considerable drug and physical abuse by him. In response, Hurt issued the following statement:

"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."

Hurt received his final Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor for 2005's A History of Violence, while continuing to act in film, on stage, and in television. In 2009, he reunited with his Big Chill co-star Glenn Close on the FX drama Damages, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

Known for his serious, intellectual roles, Hurt got in on the blockbuster game later in his career, joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross in The Incredible Hulk and Captain America: Civil War. Rather fittingly, the Kiss of the Spider Woman star's final film performance was in 2021's Black Widow, reprising his role as Sec. Ross.

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