William Hurt Mourned by Friends and Fans on Social Media

By Stephen Andrew - March 14, 2022 01:13 pm EDT

On Sunday, it was reported that actor William Hurt has died, at the age of 71. Since the tragic news, many of his friends and fans have taken to social media to mourn the late Hollywood star. Hurt appeared in numerous high-profile films over the years and had multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Broadcast News, Children Of A Lesser God, and Kiss Of The Spider-Woman. The latter of which he won.

"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," Hurt's son told Deadline in a statement following the actor's death. "He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time." In the wake of Hurt passing away, many have come out to express their sorrow and pay tribute to the late star. Scroll down to read some of the many Hurt memorials being shared online.

"Fine Actor"

Very sorry to hear about the passing of William Hurt. He was a fine actor, an Academy Award winner. He also did a classic reading of my story "Low Men in Yellow Coats," from HEARTS IN ATLANTIS. I loved hitchhiking on his immense talent.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 13, 2022

"This is heartbreaking. I'm sad to see him go," a fan tweeted. "I remember seeing him in The Incredible Hulk as a kid and I just knew that he would eventually become the Red Hulk... he could have have done so much more with the MCU and his character General Thunderbird Ross. R.I.P William Hurt."

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"Devastating Loss"

William Hurt has passed. On Robin Hood, I was aware of his reputation for asking character based questions, so I had compiled a file on the life of William Marshall. He sought me out when he arrived on set. I handed him the stack. Not sure if I’ve ever seen a bigger smile. RIP.
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) March 13, 2022

"From Body Heat, to his Academy Award-winning work on Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Broadcast News, Children Of A Lesser God, A History Of Violence and the MCU, William Hurt left a mark with an impressive body of work that will fondly be remembered. What a devastating loss," entertainment journalist Matt Neglia wrote.

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"Greatly Missed"

R.I.P. William Hurt. So sad to hear this news. Working with him on Broadcast News was amazing. He will be greatly missed.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) March 13, 2022

"Thank you for the art, William Hurt," someone offered. "Broadcast News is a perfect film and part of the reason why is your performance."

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"A Great Loss"

Saddened to hear of the passing of actor William Hurt. He broke the mold in his Oscar-winning role in Kiss of the Spider Woman, broke smiles in Broadcast News, and broke our hearts in The Accidental Tourist. A great loss to the world. Rest among the stars now, good sir.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 13, 2022

"William Hurt was a remarkable actor. This comes way too soon. RIP," tweeted actor and comedian Michael McKean.

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"Remarkable"

Grateful that I had the opportunity to work with William Hurt. I admired his acting so much and watching his commitment in person was remarkable. My thoughts are with his family. pic.twitter.com/faDLANuq2E
— Topher Grace (@TopherGrace) March 13, 2022

"First time I ever saw a celebrity in person it was in New York City. A college friend and I were living in a tiny apartment in Greenwich Village, and we were getting lunch at a local restaurant sitting by the window. William Hurt walked by," recalled journalist Joy-Ann Reid. "RIP to a great actor gone too soon."

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"Far Too Soon"

Still can’t wrap my mind around losing William Hurt at 71. Far too soon. He expanded the definition of the leading man and was inspirational to me. His work celebrated intelligence, idiosyncrasy and quiet magnetism. #RIPWilliamHurt
— Lou Diamond Phillips (@LouDPhillips) March 14, 2022

"Oh my gosh. This man had [longevity] in his career," someone wrote in a tweet. "He was in Soooo many iconic films of the 80s but then kept showing up in other great films. Loved him especially in Kiss of the Spider Woman but Broadcast News is also a fave. And if course RIP General Ross of the MCU."

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Abuse Accusations

God Bless William Hurt.
There's no way to overstate how he dominated film acting in the 1980s. I had pics of him all over my wall as a teenager.
He got an Oscar nom in "A History of Violence" for 8 minutes of screen time.
He used to call me "Birdsong" in emails.
Thank you, Bill. pic.twitter.com/psMRUo499E
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) March 13, 2022

Notably, there are many social media users who have pointed out the accusations of abuse against Hurt, amidst the memorials, with one person tweeting, "Seeing a lot of people praising William Hurt upon the news of his passing, and he was surely a fine actor. But don't overlook the horrific accusations of abuse, rape and assault made by Marlee Matlin."

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