The Heartbreaking Death Of Actor William Hurt

Academy Award-winning actor William Hurt has died at the age of 71, just a week shy of his 72nd birthday, at his home in Portland, Oregon, according to Deadline. Although the actor's family did not reveal a specific cause of death, other than natural causes, in May 2018, news came that Hurt had terminal prostate cancer that had spread to the bone. 

The "Kiss of the Spider Woman" actor's son, Will, announced the sad news. "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. He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time."

A classically trained actor, Hurt had a long career in both film and on the stage, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Read on to discover the details of Hurt's long career, including his three Oscar nominations for Best Actor and one win, as well as a later nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

William Hurt dominated the 1980s film scene with movies like "Body Heat," "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "Children of a Lesser God," and "Broadcast News." Deadline reported that Hurt received Best Actor Academy Award nominations for three years in a row for the latter three films. He ended up winning the Oscar for his work as gay prisoner Luis Molina in 1985's "Kiss of the Spider Woman."

"We had to say something about not just gay rights, but about feminine and masculine relationships and the nature of courage and what it means to speak truth to a power so much greater than you are," Hurt said in 2015 of his work on the film (via The Hollywood Reporter). "We didn't make any money while we were shooting, so there was no angling for gratuitous reward. This was just a glorious opportunity to do the right thing."

Hurt also received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 2005 movie "A History of Violence." He also received a Tony nomination in 1984 for his work on Broadway and off-Broadway in "Hurlyburly." 2009 brought Hurt an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Daniel Purcell in the FX series "Damages."

Hurt is survived by his four children, Jeanne Bonnaire-Hurt, Alexander Devon Hurt, Samuel Hurt, and William Hurt. At this time, the family hasn't announced memorial details.