Her husband, filmmaker Paul Schrader, confirmed that she passed away at an assisted living facility in Jersey City, New Jersey, where she had recently been residing.
Their daughter, Molly Schrader, shared the news on Instagram, writing that her mother died Sunday morning following a decade-long struggle with the illness. She described Hurt as an actress, wife, mother, sister and friend who embraced each role with grace and quiet strength, adding that the family finds comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering. The tribute included a black-and-white photo taken by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
Hurt had recently moved to the Jersey City residence after previously living in another assisted care facility in Manhattan, with Schrader staying in the same building, according to reports.
Born in Marshalltown, Iowa, Hurt studied acting at the University of Iowa before continuing her training at New York University. She made her stage debut in 1974 in the Off-Broadway production More Than You Deserve.
She went on to build a strong theater career, earning three Tony Award nominations over a decade for Trelawny of the Wells (1975), Crimes of the Heart (1981) and Benefactors (1985).
Hurt became widely recognized for film roles in The World According to Garp (1982), Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) and Woody Allen’s Interiors (1978), which also starred Diane Keaton.
Her other credits included The Age of Innocence and Six Degrees of Separation in 1993, followed by Autumn in New York (2000) and The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005). She later appeared in films such as The Dead Girl, Lady in the Water and Young Adult.
Across her career, Hurt also made numerous television appearances, including roles on Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Thirtysomething and Saturday Night Live.
She was married to actor William Hurt from 1971 to 1982 before marrying Schrader in 1983. The couple shared two children, Molly and Sam.
In a 2010 interview, Hurt explained she often preferred supporting roles, saying she felt more comfortable exploring layered secondary characters rather than carrying a film as the lead. She added that she was drawn to the quirks and individuality of those parts, which she felt allowed her to shape more interesting performances.
