Born in Washington, DC; educated at Tufts University, Medford, MA (theology, theater) and Juilliard (drama). Consummately professional star of the 1980s and 90s who has enjoyed an almost uninterrupted string of critically acclaimed performances in high-profile films. Hurt established himself with roles in ALTERED STATES (1980), as a scientist obsessed with out-of-body experiences, and in BODY HEAT (1981), as a gullible lawyer obsessed with Kathleen Turner; the latter film marked the beginning of a fruitful association with director Lawrence Kasdan, in whose THE BIG CHILL (1983) Hurt also featured. Hurt's bravura performance as the gay window dresser who shares a prison cell with Raul Julia in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (1985) earned him best actor awards from the British Film Academy and the Cannes Film Festival as well as an Oscar®. Three more Academy Award nominations followed, for CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD (1986) and BROADCAST NEWS (1987), in which he played a facile, manipulative TV anchor who nearly wins the heart of intelligent, principled journalist Holly Hunter. The Hurt/Turner/Kasdan teaming was repeated in THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (1988). His third Academy nomination came for his supporting role in David Cronenberg's A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005). Other notable (non-nominated) screen credits include EYEWITNESS (1981), GORKY PARK (1983), I LOVE YOU TO DEATH and ALICE (both 1990), MR. WONDERFUL (1993), SMOKE (1995), JANE EYRE (1996), LOST IN SPACE and ONE TRUE THING (both 1998), DO NOT DISTURB (1999), "Dune" (2000 TV mini-series), A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLEGENCE and RARE BIRDS (both 2001), CHANGING LANES and TUCK EVERLASTING (both 2002), THE BLUE BUTTERFLY and THE VILLAGE (both 2004), THE KING, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, NEVERWAS and SYRIANA (all 2005) and BEAUTIFUL OHIO and THE GOOD SHEPHERD (both 2006), MR. BROOKS, INTO THE WILD and NOISE (all 2007), and VANTAGE POINT, YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, BEAST OF BATAAN and THE COUNTESS (all scheduled for 2008).  Actor 1985: KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN  Nominated for Actor 1986: CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1987: BROADCAST NEWS  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 2005: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE 4 nominations, 1 Award