Helen Hunt
| Helen Hunt | |
|---|---|
 at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival |
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| Born | Helen Elizabeth Hunt June 15, 1963 , U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse | Hank Azaria (1999–2000) |
Helen Elizabeth Hunt (born June 15, 1963) is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She starred in the sitcom Mad About You for seven years, before being cast in the romantic comedy As Good As It Gets, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Some of her other Hollywood credits include Twister, Cast Away, What Women Want and Pay It Forward. She made her directorial debut in 2007 with Then She Found Me.
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Early life
Hunt was born in Culver City, California, the daughter of Jane Elizabeth (née Novis), a photographer, and Gordon Hunt, a film director and acting coach.[1][2] Her uncle, Peter H. Hunt, is also a director, and her maternal grandmother, Dorothy Fries (née Anderson) was a voice coach.[1][3] Her paternal grandmother was Jewish,[4] and her mother was Methodist;[5] she has described herself as a "quarter Jewish".[6] She spent part of her childhood in New York City and later attended the University of California at Los Angeles.[7]
Career
Hunt began working in the 1970s as a child actress. Her early roles included an appearance as Murray Slaughter's daughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, alongside Lindsay Wagner in an episode of The Bionic Woman, and a regular role in the television series The Swiss Family Robinson. She appeared as a marijuana-smoking classmate on an episode of The Facts of Life. She also appeared as a young woman who, while on PCP, jumps out of a second-story window in a 1982 after school special called Desperate Lives (a scene which she mocked during a Saturday Night Live monologue in 1994).[8] In the mid-1980s, she had a recurring role on St. Elsewhere as Clancy Williams, girlfriend of Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison. She remains well known for one of her earliest roles as Jennie in Bill: On His Own, costarring Mickey Rooney.
She also starred in 1985's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, co-starring Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker and Charmed actress Shannen Doherty.
In the 1990s, after the lead female role in the short-lived My Life and Times, Hunt became well-known to television audiences in Mad About You, winning Emmy Awards for her performance in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
In 1998 Hunt won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Carol Connelly, a waitress and single mother who finds herself falling in love with Melvin Udall, an obsessive-compulsive romance novelist played by Jack Nicholson in the movie As Good as It Gets. After winning the Academy Award she took time off from movie work to play Viola in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center in New York City.[9]
In 2000, Hunt returned to the screen in four films: Dr. T & the Women with Richard Gere, Pay It Forward with Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment, What Women Want with Mel Gibson, and Cast Away with Tom Hanks. In 2003, she returned to Broadway in Yasmina Reza's Life x 3.[9] Hunt was also a final candidate for the role of "Clarice Starling" in Hannibal, after Jodie Foster decided not to reprise her Oscar winning role from The Silence of the Lambs. However, Hunt lost the role to Julianne Moore at the last minute. In 2006, Hunt appeared in the film Bobby.
Hunt is a director, having helmed several episodes of Mad About You, including the series finale. Her big-screen directorial debut came with the film Then She Found Me, in which she also starred.[1]
She currently owns a production company with Connie Tavel, Hunt/Tavel Productions under Sony Pictures Entertainment.[1]
Personal life
Hunt dated actor Hank Azaria for five years, then was married to him from 1999 until 2000.[1] She briefly dated fellow actor Kevin Spacey in 2000.[10] She has been in a relationship with Matthew Carnahan since 2001 and they have a daughter, Makena Lei Gordon Carnahan, born in 2004.[1][11]
Filmography and awards
Helen Hunt has been recognized extensively in her career. In 1998 she became the second actress (after Liza Minnelli) to win a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award and an Emmy Award in the same year (Helen Mirren subsequently did so in 2006) . Hunt was nominated for an Emmy Award for lead actress in a comedy seven years in a row, from 1993 through 1999, winning in the last four years.[12] Additionally, Helen Hunt is briefly mentioned in Season 6, Episode 8 of the popular animated series Family Guy.
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Amy Prentiss | Jill Prentiss | |
| 1975 | The Swiss Family Robinson | Helga | |
| 1982 | It Takes Two | Lisa Quinn | |
| 1977 | The Fitzpatricks | Kerry Gerardi | |
| 1978 | The Bionic Woman | Princess Aura | |
| 1984-1986 | St. Elsewhere | Clancy Williams | |
| 1991 | My Life and Times | Rebecca Miller | |
| 1992-1999 | Mad About You | Jamie Stemple Buchman | American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication (Won 1994-1996, Nominated 1999) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series (Won 1996-1999, Nominated 1993-1995) Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy (Won 1994-1995 and 1997, Nominated 1993, 1996 and 1998) People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Television Performer (1999) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series (Won 1995, Nominated 1996-1998) Q Award for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series (Won 1994 and 1996-1997, Nominated 1998) Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1997-1999) Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (1995-1998) Nominated — TV Guide Award for Favorite Actress in a Comedy |
| 1995 | Friends | Jamie Buchman | |
| 2005 | Empire Falls | Janine Roby | Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Special |
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Pioneer Woman | Sarah Sargeant | Made for TV |
| 1975 | Death Scream | Teila Rodriguez | Made for TV |
| All Together Now | Susan Lindsay | Made for TV | |
| 1976 | Having Babies | Sharon McNamara | Made for TV |
| 1977 | The Spell | Kristina Matchett | Made for TV |
| Rollercoaster | Tracy Calder | ||
| 1979 | Transplant | Janice Hurley | Made for TV |
| 1981 | Child Bride of Short Creek | Naomi | Made for TV |
| CBS Afternoon Playhouse | Phoebe | I Think I'm Having a Baby | |
| The Best Little Girl in the World | Made for TV | ||
| Angel Dusted | Lizzie Eaton | Made for TV | |
| The Miracle of Kathy Miller | Kathy Miller | Made for TV | |
| 1982 | Desperate Lives | Sandy Cameron | Made for TV |
| 1983 | Bill: On His Own | Jenny Wells | Made for TV |
| Quarterback Princess | Tami Maida | Made for TV | |
| Choices of the Heart | Cathy | Made for TV | |
| 1984 | Sweet Revenge | Debbie Markham | Made for TV |
| 1985 | Trancers | Leena | |
| Waiting to Act | Tracy | ||
| Girls Just Want to Have Fun | Lynne Stone | ||
| 1986 | The Nativity | Mary | voice |
| Peggy Sue Got Married | Beth Bodell | ||
| 1987 | Project X | Teri | |
| 1988 | Shooter | Tracey | Made for TV |
| Miles from Home | Jennifer | ||
| Stealing Home | Hope Wyatt (adult and pregnant) | ||
| The Frog Prince | Princess Henrietta | ||
| 1989 | Incident at Dark River | Jesse McCandless | Made for TV |
| Next of Kin | Jessie Gates | ||
| 1991 | Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Wojas Smart Story | Pamela Smart | Made for TV |
| Trancers II | Lena Deth | ||
| Into the Badlands | Blossom | Made for TV | |
| 1992 | The Waterdance | Anna | |
| Only You | Clare Enfield | ||
| Mr. Saturday Night | Annie Wells | ||
| Bob Roberts | Rose Pondell | ||
| Trancers III | Lena | ||
| 1993 | Sexual Healing | Rene | |
| In the Company of Darkness | Gina Pulasky | Made for TV | |
| 1995 | Kiss of Death | Bev Kilmartin | |
| 1996 | Twister | Dr. Jo Harding (Adult) | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Action/Adventure Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance |
| 1997 | As Good as It Gets | Carol Connelly | Academy Award for Best Actress American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Video Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance |
| 1998 | Twelfth Night | Made for TV | |
| 2000 | Dr. T & the Women | Bree | |
| What Women Want | Darcy McGuire | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Comedy/Romance | |
| Pay It Forward | Arlene McKinney | Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance | |
| Cast Away | Kelly Frears | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Drama Nominated — MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (Shared with Tom Hanks |
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| 2001 | One Night at McCool's | Truck driver | scenes deleted |
| The Curse of the Jade Scorpion | Betty Ann Fitzgerald | ||
| 2005 | A Good Woman | Mrs. Erlynne | |
| 2006 | Bobby | Samantha Stevens | Hollywood Film Award for Ensemble of the Year Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2007 | Then She Found Me | April Epner | Also co-screenwriter, producer & director Ashland Independent Film Festival Rogue Award Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature |
| 2009 | Every Day | Jeannie | (post-production) |
| 2011 | Soul Surfer | Cheri Hamilton | (Filming) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Helen Hunt at the TCM Movie Database
- ↑ Helen Hunt genealogy. Rootsweb.com.
- ↑ Helen Hunt biography. Film Reference.com.
- ↑ Robinson, George (2008-02-13). "Then She Found Me’". The New York Jewish Week. http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c234_a4474/Special_Sections/Arts_Preview.html. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
- ↑ Cohn, Robert A. (2007-11-07). "Paul Reiser kicks off book fest". St. Louis Jewish Light. http://www.stljewishlight.com/topstories/290240140354285.php. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ↑ Nick Johnstone, "How Helen Hunt did God", The Jewish Chronicle, August 28, 2008.
- ↑ Helen Hunt Biography - Yahoo! Movies
- ↑ Helen Hunt's Monologue
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Helen Hunt at the Internet Broadway Database
- ↑ "Helen Hunt dating Kevin Spacey". http://www.cinema.com/news/item/458/helen-hunt-dating-kevin-spacey.phtml.
- ↑ Helen Hunt: It's a Girl!, a May 2004 E! Online article (Archive copy at the Wayback Machine.)
- ↑ Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Emmys.com.
External links
- Helen Hunt at the Internet Movie Database
- Helen Hunt at the Internet Broadway Database
- Helen Hunt at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Helen Hunt at Allmovie
- Helen Hunt at Yahoo! Movies
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