William Hurt is an Academy Award-winning actor who transitioned from leading man roles to distinctive character roles. He made his screen debut in Altered States , and his other films included Body Heat , The Big Chill , Kiss of the Spider Woman , Children of a Lesser God , Broadcast News , and A History of Violence .

William Hurt

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William Hurt

Q: For which film did William Hurt win an Oscar?

William Hurt won an Academy Award for best actor in 1986 for his portrayal of a gay prisoner in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985). Hurt also received Oscar nominations for Children of a Lesser God (1986), Broadcast News (1987), and A History of Violence (2005).

Q: Did William Hurt appear in any Marvel movies?

William Hurt portrayed the Marvel comic character Thaddeus (“Thunderbolt”) Ross in the films The Incredible Hulk (2008), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Black Widow (2021).

American actor

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: May 24, 2025 • Article History

Quick Facts

Born:: March 20, 1950, Washington, D.C., U.S.

Died:: March 13, 2022, Portland, Oregon (aged 71)

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1986); Academy Award (1986): Actor in a Leading Role

Married To:: Heidi Henderson (1989–1993); Mary Beth Hurt (1971–1982)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "American Masters" (1991); "Au plus près du paradis" (2002); "Trial by Jury" (1994); "The Good Shepherd" (2006); "I Love You to Death" (1990); "The Blue Butterfly" (2004); "The Simian Line" (2000); "The Countess" (2009); "Beautiful Ohio" (2006); "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her" (2013); "Goliath" (2016–2019); "Altered States" (1980); "The 4th Floor" (1999); "Avengers: Endgame" (2019); "Late Bloomers" (2011); "Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King" (2006); "The Best of Families" (1977); "A History of Violence" (2005); "Race" (2016); "Second Best" (1994); "The Proposition" (1998); "Lost in Space" (1998); "Humans" (2015); "Bis ans Ende der Welt" (1991); "Un divan à New York" (1996); "Gorky Park" (1983); "Great Performances" (1978); "The Host" (2013); "Bonnie & Clyde" (2013); "One True Thing" (1998); "Children of a Lesser God" (1986); "The Miracle Season" (2018); "La peste" (1992); "Alice" (1990); "Rivière-des-Jérémie" (2001); "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" (2001); "The Yellow Handkerchief" (2008); "Endgame" (2009); "Contaminated Man" (2000); "The Accidental Tourist" (1988); "Broadcast News" (1987); "Body Heat" (1981); "Smoke" (1995); "Michael" (1996); "Syriana" (2005); "The Big Chill" (1983); "Damages" (2009); "Frankenstein" (2004); "Loved" (1997); "Moby Dick" (2011); "Dune" (2000); "Condor" (2018–2020); "Jane Eyre" (1996); "The Last Full Measure" (2019); "The Big Brass Ring" (1999); "Rare Birds" (2001); "The King" (2005); "Tuck Everlasting" (2002); "Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1985); "Captain America: Civil War" (2016); "Days and Nights" (2014); "The Legend of Sasquatch" (2006); "Kojak" (1977); "Noise" (2007); "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018); "J'enrage de son absence" (2012); "Vantage Point" (2008); "The Village" (2004); "Eyewitness" (1981); "Sunshine" (1999); "Into the Wild" (2007); "Mr. Wonderful" (1993); "Changing Lanes" (2002); "Hellgate" (2011); "The Incredible Hulk" (2008); "Dark City" (1998); "The Miracle Maker" (2000); "Winter's Tale" (2014); "The Doctor" (1991); "Neverwas" (2005); "The King of Queens" (2002); "Robin Hood" (2010); "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them" (2014); "Ispoved neznakomtsu" (1995); "The River Why" (2010); "Do Not Disturb" (1999); "Mr. Brooks" (2007); "A Time of Destiny" (1988); "Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands" (2016)

Who is William Hurt?

For which film did William Hurt win an Oscar?

Did William Hurt appear in any Marvel movies?

William Hurt (born March 20, 1950, Washington, D.C., U.S.—died March 13, 2022, Portland, Oregon) was an American actor who transitioned from roles as a leading man to a series of distinctive character roles in the latter portion of his career.

Hurt acted in repertory companies before making his screen debut in Altered States (1980). He became a leading actor with Body Heat (1981), in which he played a lawyer who kills his lover’s husband. He then appeared in the ensemble drama The Big Chill (1983). In 1986 he won an Academy Award for best actor for his portrayal of a gay prisoner in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985).

Hurt also received Oscar nominations for best actor for his roles in Children of a Lesser God (1986) and Broadcast News (1987) and a nod for best supporting actor in A History of Violence (2005). Other notable films included The Accidental Tourist (1988), Smoke (1995), Chantal Akerman’s A Couch in New York (1996), One True Thing (1998), Syriana (2005), Into the Wild (2007), Robin Hood (2010), Winter’s Tale (2014), Days and Nights (2014), and Race (2016). He portrayed the Marvel comic character Thaddeus (“Thunderbolt”) Ross in the films The Incredible Hulk (2008), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Black Widow (2021).

Empty movie theater and blank screen (theatre, motion pictures, cinema).

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Oscar-Worthy Movie Trivia

On television Hurt appeared in the miniseries Dune (2000), Moby Dick (2011; as Captain Ahab), Bonnie and Clyde (2013), and Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands (2016). He made appearances in the TV movies Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story (2002) and Too Big to Fail (2011; as Henry Paulson) and had roles in the series Damages, Humans, Trial, Goliath, and Condor.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.