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.
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, 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.
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/598051-oscar-winning-actor-william-hurt-dies-at-71