Broadway and Film Actor Mary Beth Hurt Passes Away at 79
Mary Beth Hurt, the Tony Award-nominated actor celebrated for her work on Broadway and in numerous films, has died at the age of 79. Her death occurred on Saturday in New Jersey, following a prolonged battle with Alzheimer's disease, which she was diagnosed with in 2015.
A Distinguished Career on Stage and Screen
Born in Iowa, Hurt graduated from New York University's graduate theatre studies program in 1969. She quickly established herself as a formidable presence in the theatre world, earning three Tony nominations throughout her career. These nominations were for her performances in Trelawny of the Wells in 1975, Crimes of the Heart in 1981, and Benefactors in 1985, where she starred alongside Glenn Close.
Her final Broadway appearance was in 2011, playing a nun in a revival of The House of Blue Leaves with Ben Stiller and Edie Falco. Despite her success, Hurt often expressed a preference for secondary roles, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2010, "I've never been extremely comfortable playing the lead. I don't like the responsibility; there's a feeling that I have to be good. Besides, I found secondary parts much more interesting, especially when I was younger and the ingénue roles were pretty bland."
Film Work and Personal Life
Hurt's film career was equally prolific, beginning with her big-screen debut in Woody Allen's Interiors in 1978. Her notable movie credits include Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), The Age of Innocence (1993), Autumn in New York (2000), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), The Dead Girl (2006), Lady in the Water (2006), and Young Adult (2011). She also reunited with Glenn Close for the film The World According to Garp.
In her personal life, Hurt was married to late actor William Hurt from 1971 to 1982. She later married filmmaker Paul Schrader in 1983, appearing in his movies Affliction and Light Sleeper. Schrader moved into her senior-living facility in 2023 to remain close to her during her illness.
Family Tributes and Legacy
Her daughter, Molly Schrader, confirmed the news of her passing in an Instagram post, writing, "She was an actress, a wife, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a friend, and she took on all those rolls with grace and a kind ferocity. Although we're grieving there is some comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering and is reunited with her sisters in peace."
Mary Beth Hurt is survived by her husband Paul Schrader, her daughter Molly, and a son named Sam. Her legacy as a versatile and respected performer in both theatre and cinema endures, marked by her nuanced performances and dedication to her craft.
