Oscar-winning actor William Hurt, who starred in films including Kiss of the Spider Woman, has died aged 71, his son has confirmed.
The much-loved actor – who starred in Marvel films like The Incredible Hulk – passed away on Sunday, March 13.
His son Will confirmed to Deadline: “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.”
The star is perhaps best known for his Oscar-winning role for his portrayal of a gay prisoner in the 1986 flick Kiss of the Spider Woman – though he was also nominated for Children of a Lesser God (1986), Broadcast News (1987), and A History of Violence (2005).
(Image: Photo Credit: Michael Gibson)
One of his last roles came in TV series Pantheon, in which he was starring as Stephen Holstrom.
But he has also appeared in a range of films recently, including the 2021 Marvel blockbuster Black Widow, a string of Avengers films and Robin Hood.
Tributes have already been pouring in for the late star online, with horror magazine Fangoria tweeting: “RIP William Hurt. He was part of so many of our favourite movies. From ALTERED STATES, DARK CITY, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, THE VILLAGE, and many more. He will be missed.”
(Image: Getty Images)
“Another talent actor taken away from us this year. RIP William Hurt,” another fan echoed.
As someone else said: “This shocked me like you have NO IDEA. Utterly and completely shocked. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) is a MASTERPIECE, and he’s MASTERFUL in it. One of the greatest performances to EVER win in the category. So sad to see you go, sir.”
While Spider Man 3 star Topher Grace added: “Grateful that I had the opportunity to work with William Hurt. I admired his acting so much and watching his commitment in person was remarkable. My thoughts are with his family.”
(Image: Getty Images North America)
Though Hurt was celebrated for his iconic acting career, which spanned decades, he didn’t fully relish in the celebrity of it all, admitting in a 1989 interview with the New York Times: “It’s not right that my privacy is invaded to the extent that it is.
“I’m a very private man, and I have the right to be. I never said that because I was an actor you can have my privacy, you can steal my soul. You can’t.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
