Born:
March 20, 1950
in
Washington, DC
Best Known For:
A string of acclaimed performances.
Early-life:
William McChord Hurt was born in Washington, DC, on March 20, 1950, the son of Claire and Alfred. William was vice president of the Dramatics Club at Middlesex School in Concord, Massahusetts, and played the lead role in a number of school plays. He went on to study theology at Tufts University and acting at the Juilliard School.
Career:
Hurt spent the early years of his acting career on the stage and his first major film role was in science fiction-horror Altered States (1980). His big break came a year later when he starred alongside Richard Crenna, Ted Danson and Kathleen Turner in Body Heat. He won an Academy Award for Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) and picked up further nominations for Children of a Lesser God (1986), Broadcast News (1987) and A History of Violence (2005). His other film credits include The Big Chill (1983), The Accidental Tourist (1988), I Love You to Death (1990), Lost in Space (1998), Syriana (2005) and The Incredible Hulk (2008). On the small screen, he had a regular role in Damages and starred as Captain Ahab in a 2011 TV adaptation of Moby Dick. More recently, he has starred in miniseries Bonnie and Clyde and the film Winter's Tale (2014).
Quote:
'All I know is that my best work has come out of being committed and happy.'
Trivia:
He didn't take a salary for Kiss of the Spider Woman so that the film could be made within its budget.