Actor Mary Beth Hurt, Known for Film and Stage Roles, Passes Away at 79

Mary Beth Hurt, a performer recognized for her Tony Award nominations and film appearances, has died at age 79. Her passing occurred on Saturday due to complications from Alzheimer's disease, as confirmed by her family. Hurt's daughter, Molly Schrader, shared the news via social media on Sunday, noting her mother's death took place at a care facility in Jersey City, New Jersey. The actor had received an Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2015. Hurt's career spanned several decades, beginning with her New York stage introduction in 1973 in an off-Broadway presentation of Shakespeare's "As You Like It." She later made her Broadway debut the following year. Over her professional life, she participated in fifteen Broadway shows. Her cinematic work includes roles in Woody Allen's 1978 drama "Interiors," which brought her a BAFTA nomination, "The World According to Garp" from 1982, and Martin Scorsese's 1993 film "The Age of Innocence." She also appeared in projects directed by her spouse, Paul Schrader. Hurt received three Tony nominations: in 1976 for "Trelawny of the 'Wells'," in 1982 for "Crimes of the Heart," and in 1986 for "Benefactors." Born Mary Beth Supinger in Marshalltown, Iowa, she studied theater at the University of Iowa and pursued further education at New York University. She was previously married to actor William Hurt before wedding filmmaker Paul Schrader in 1983. In a 1989 interview, Hurt expressed challenges in sustaining a theater career, noting limited financial viability for non-musical stage work. Director David Hare praised her technical skill and improvisational ability. Hurt is survived by her husband and two children.