Oscar-winning actor William Hurt dies at 71
William Hurt, an Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in "Broadcast News" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman," has died at the age of 71.
Hurt's son, Will, confirmed to news outlets that the actor died Sunday from natural causes at his home in Portland, Oregon. Hurt recently battled prostate cancer that was first diagnosed in 2018.
Hurt, who was born in Washington, D.C. in 1950 and is a son of a former State Department official, began his acting career on stage, studying at the Julliard School and working with the Circle Repertory Company.
After receiving acclaim and a Tony Award nomination for his role in David Rabe's "Hurlyburly," Hurt won the best actor Oscar for his performance in "Kiss of the Spider Woman," where he portrayed a gay prisoner in a repressive South American dictatorship.
Hurt's Oscar victory was followed by consecutive nominations for three straight years for films including 1987's drama "Children of a Lesser God" and 1988's "Broadcast News."
Hurt continued to rack up screen credits throughout the years, winning over a younger audience for his roles in Marvel superhero movies such as "Captain America: Civil War," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Black Widow," according to USA Today.
He was also nominated for an Oscar for a brief role in the 2005 film "A History of Violence," and also portrayed former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in the 2011 film "Too Big to Fail" about the 2008 economic crash.
Hurt, who was married twice, also dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during his career, as his "Children of a Lesser God" co-star and former girlfriend Marlee Matlin shared in her 2009 memoir, in which she described emotional and physical abuse during their relationship.
Hurt issued an apology to Matlin saying, "My own recollection is that we both apologized and both did a great deal to heal our lives," the AP reported.
Fellow actors, film critics and fans shared their condolences Sunday amid news of Hurt's death.
"William Hurt was a remarkable actor. This comes way too soon," wrote actor and screenwriter Michael McKean.
Author and journalist Mark Harris called Hurt "a remarkable, eccentric, interesting actor, both in his '80s-leading-man period and in countless good character roles after that."
And film critic Scott Weinberg called Hurt "one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood," adding in a Twitter thread: "Big role or small, bad movie or good, if William Hurt was on hand, you knew you'd get something good."
Hurt is survived by four children, the AP noted.
