Marley Matlin reflected on the death of William Hurt during a brief interview with Entertainment Tonight at the Critics Choice Awards. Hurt died on March 13 at the age of 71 after battling prostate cancer. Matlin and Hurt starred opposite each other in the 1986 drama Children of a Lesser God, which earned Matlin an Oscar for Best Actress. The two performers started dating when Matlin was 19 and Hurt was 35.
“You’re the first person to ask me about him,” Matlin told ET. “We have lost a truly great actor and working with him on the set of Children of a Lesser God will always be something I will always remember with great love. He taught me a lot as an actor and he was one of a kind.”
Matlin detailed Hurt’s alleged abuse of her in his autobiography, I’ll Scream Later. According to the actor, Hurt “threw me on the bed, began to rip off his clothes and my clothes” and raped her. Hurt also allegedly scolded Matlin after her Oscar win, telling her, “Why do you think you deserve this? There are hundreds of actors who have worked for years for the recognition you just received. Think about it.”
Hurt issued a statement following the publication of Matlin’s memoir, in which he said: “I remember that we both apologized and both did a lot to heal our lives. Of course, I did and do apologize for any pain I caused. And I know we’ve both grown. I wish Marley and her family all the best.”
Matlin attended the Critics Choice Awards on behalf of CODA, which was nominated for Best Picture and several other awards. Matlin’s co-star Troy Kotzur won the Best Supporting Actor award, an award he also won at the BAFTA Film Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards. KODA was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture.
Hurt’s death was confirmed to Variety by his friend Jerry Byrne. The actor’s son, Will, said in a statement: “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. He died peacefully, among his family, a natural death.”
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