William Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor who starred in films such as Body Heat, Broadcast News, A History of Violence, and played General Thaddeus Ross in the MCU, has passed away at the age of 71. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he died Sunday morning at his home in Portland Oregon. No exact details regarding the cause of his death were given, but he was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to the bone back in 2018.
"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," his son Will wrote in a statement. "He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time."
Hurt emerged in the scene during the early 80s when he starred in films such as Altered States, Body Heat, and The Big Chill. He eventually received Oscar nominations for three consecutive years for films such as Kiss of the Spider Woman (where he won), Children of a Lesser God, and Broadcast News. He also starred in films such as The Accidental Tourist, Lost in Space, Dark City, One True Thing, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, The Village, A History of Violence (where he received an Oscar nomination), Syriana, Into the Wild, Vantage Point, and The Host.
He also made his way to television when he appeared in shows such as Damages and Goliath. He guest-starred last year in the hit Apple TV+ comedy series Mythic Quest and did voice work for the upcoming series Pantheon, which he had already completed his work prior to his passing according to reports.
Most audiences today know him for playing General Thaddeus Ross in the MCU. He first made his appearance in the role in 2008's The Incredible Hulk before eventually making his return eight years later in Captain America: Civil War. He made cameo appearances in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. His last known appearance in the MCU is in Black Widow. It is unknown yet if he filmed scenes as the character in an upcoming MCU project or how his death will affect Ross' presence in the franchise moving forward.
Several figures in Hollywood took to Twitter to pay tribute to the late Oscar-winning actor including Albert Brooks, Mark Ruffalo, Viola Davis, and many more.
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The Oscar-winning actor is survived by his four children. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them during this difficult time.
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