Hurt, 71, passed away on March 13 after a battle with prostate cancer. At the Critics’ Choice Awards, Marlee Matlin discussed her thoughts on William Hurt’s passing. 13 years after she accused the late actor and ex-partner William Hurt of viciously raping and assaulting her during their two-year relationship in the mid-80s, the actress commended him as a “wonderful actor” and a “one-of-a-kind” man.
Hurt’s Film Career:
Hurt was a great actor who has given back-to-back hit films. Hurt’s Oscar-winning performance as a gay man in prison in “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” as well as “Children of a Lesser God,” “Body Heat,” “The Big Chill,” and “Broadcast News,” made him the most well-known actor. Additionally, he appears in five films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most recent of which being “Black Widow,” as well as “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”
Hurt’s Personal Life:
Hurt’s personal life was complex off-screen. He had a son with Sandra Jennings, a professional ballet dancer, with whom he had an affair before getting married twice. However, Hurt’s most well-known and troubled union was with Marlee Matlin, another actor. The two played a teacher and janitor who fell in love at a school for the deaf in the 1986 movie “Children of a Lesser God.” When Hurt began dating Matlin, who was 16 years his junior, for two years, life imitated art. But as Matlin has described, their romance was everything but perfect.
Marlee Matlin And William Hurt’s Abusive Relationship:
According to her Biography, Marlee Matlin made history in 1987 when she became the youngest person and the first deaf artist to win an Academy Award for Best Actress.
It was supposed to be a happy occasion, but as the “CODA” actress described in her 2009 memoir, “I’ll Scream Later,” her then-boyfriend, William Hurt, spoiled the evening. Matlin claimed that Hurt asked her a question in their car, “Why do you believe you deserve it? For the recognition you have just received, hundreds of actors have toiled for years.” Matlin stated that if the incident had occurred today, she would have “slugged” him.
Matlin said that Hurt physically abused her during their two years of dating, leaving her with bruises and a split lip. She said that Hurt had once come home drunk. He initiated an argument with her, tore off her clothes, and engaged in sexual assault. Hurt tried to diffuse the situation in an interview: “My memory is that we both expressed regret and took numerous steps to mend our relationships. Of course, I apologized and still do for whatever harm I may have caused.”
Marlee Matlin Reacted To The Death Of William Hurt:
The actress, who is deaf, told a reporter on the Critics’ Choice Awards red carpet, “You’re the first person to ask me about him,” shrugging her shoulders and appearing genuinely surprised.
She said, “We’ve lost a great actor, and working with him on ‘Children of a Lesser God will always be a memory I remember. He was unique and he gave me a lot to learn as an actor.
However, there are a lot of comments on social media about Matlin’s allegations against Hurt. There are a lot of neutral and unfavorable remarks. She has grown enough, as seen by Matlin’s recent statement, to refrain from discussing the previous allegations and traumas. Maybe the general public should follow Marlee’s lead and stop talking about the topic.
