'Beloved' Oscar-winning actor William Hurt dies aged 71

13 March 2022, 22:31

Actor William Hurt, pictured here in 1983 film The Big Chill, has died
Actor William Hurt, pictured here in 1983 film The Big Chill, has died. Picture: Alamy

By Daisy Stephens

Oscar-winning actor William Hurt has died at the age of 71, his son has said.

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Hurt's roles ranged from 1980s dramas to the Marvel films.

He won the best actor Oscar in 1986 for his role in Kiss of the Spider Women.

In a statement, Hurt's son Will said: "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.

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"He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes.

"The family requests privacy at this time."

Hurt was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012 that had spread to the bone, he said in 2018.

His performance in Broadcast News earned him another Oscar nomination
His performance in Broadcast News earned him another Oscar nomination. Picture: Alamy

As well as his Oscar in 1986, he was nominated twice in the following two years, for Children of a Lesser God and Broadcast News.

More recently he played General Thaddeus Ross in five of the Marvel films.

He is survived by his four children.