Mary Beth Hurt, the Tony-nominated stage actress and film performer known for roles in “Interiors” and “The World According to Garp,” has died at the age of 79. According to Variety, her family confirmed her passing on Sunday in a joint Facebook post shared by her daughter, Molly Schrader, and her Oscar-nominated writer-director husband, Paul Schrader.
Hurt died following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. According to her husband, Hurt died Saturday at an assisted living facility in Jersey City, New Jersey, he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“She was an actress, a wife, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a friend, and she took on all those roles with grace and kind ferocity,” the statement read, as published by Variety.
“Although we’re all grieving, there is some comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering and reunited with her sisters in peace.”
Hurt had also collaborated professionally with her husband on projects such as “Affliction” and “Light Sleeper,” blending her personal and creative life.
From Iowa Roots to a Distinguished Broadway Career
Born Mary Beth Supinger in Marshalltown, Iowa, Hurt trained at the University of Iowa and New York University before launching her career on the New York stage in 1974.
As per Paybill, she went on to appear in 15 Broadway productions over nearly four decades. Her performance as Meg Magrath in “Crimes of the Heart” earned her a Tony nomination and an Obie Award.
Hurt received two additional Tony nominations for “Trelawny of the Wells” and “Benefactors,” solidifying her place as a respected Broadway talent.
Film Career Marked by Thoughtful, Selective Roles
Hurt made her transition to film with Woody Allen’s 1978 drama “Interiors,” in which she portrayed one of three sisters grappling with a fractured family life.
She continued to take on a range of roles across film, appearing in “Chilly Scenes of Winter,” “The World According to Garp,” “The Age of Innocence,” and “Six Degrees of Separation.”
Known for being intentional about her choices, Hurt once reflected on the kinds of roles she accepted. In 1989, she spoke to The New York Times and said:
“Fifty percent of the roles I’m offered in films are nothing. I don’t mean sizewise. There’s nothing of any interest in them. So I do the ones that are interesting, unless I haven’t done one in a long while. Then I’ll do one that isn’t interesting.”
In later years, she appeared in films including “The Dead Girl,” which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination, as well as “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” “Lady in the Water,” “Young Adult,” and “Change in the Air.”
Her television work included guest appearances on “Law & Order,” “Thirtysomething,” and “Kojak.”
Personal Life, Collaborations, and Lasting Impact
As per Variety, she was previously married to Oscar-winning actor William Hurt. The two married in 1971, separated in 1978, and divorced in 1982. In 1983, she married Paul Schrader.
In 2015, Hurt was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In her later years, she lived in a care facility in Manhattan, while Schrader resided nearby in the same building.
She is survived by her husband, her daughter, and her son.
