Three-time Tony Award-nominated actress Mary Beth Hurt has passed away at age 79. Her husband, filmmaker Paul Schrader, revealed on Facebook in 2023 that Hurt had been placed in memory care, a result of Alzheimer’s disease. She passed away at an assisted-living facility in Jersey City, New Jersey, on March 28, 2026.
Mary Beth Hurt was an accomplished American actress who has made a name for herself in both stage and screen. Born on September 26, 1948, in Marshalltown, Iowa, Hurt grew up in a family that valued education and the arts. Her father was a school superintendent, and her mother was a music teacher. Hurt studied drama at the University of Iowa and later moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting.
Hurt made her Broadway debut in 1974 in the play “Trelawny of the ‘Wells'”. She went on to appear in a number of other Broadway productions, including “The Misanthrope” (1975), “Benefactors” (1985), and “The Secret Rapture” (1988). In 1978, she received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in “Crimes of the Heart”. Hurt’s stage work earned her critical acclaim and a reputation as a versatile and talented actress.
In addition to her work on stage, Hurt has also made a name for herself in film and television. She made her film debut in 1978 in Woody Allen’s “Interiors”. She went on to appear in a number of other films, including “The World According to Garp” (1982), “The Age of Innocence” (1993), and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005). Hurt has also appeared in several television shows, including “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”, “Louie”, and “The Sopranos”.
Hurt was nominated for several awards throughout her career, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Broadcast News” (1987). She was also nominated for several Emmy Awards for her work in television.
In 2015, she appeared in the film “The Age of Adaline”, and in 2017, she appeared in the television series “The Blacklist”. Hurt’s most recent stage work was in the 2019 off-Broadway production of “The Confession of Lily Dare”.
