Net Worth Of William Hurt 2024
William Hurt was an American actor known for his versatility and intense acting style in films like “Body Heat,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Children of a Lesser God,” and “Broadcast News.” Over his long career spanning five decades, Hurt established himself as one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. At the time of his death in 2022 at age 71, sources estimated William Hurt’s net worth to be around $14 million.
Acting Career Highlights
William Hurt had an exceptionally successful acting career starting in the late 1970s. Some of the key highlights that contributed to his multimillion-dollar net worth include:
Breakthrough Role in “Body Heat” (1981)
Hurt’s portrayal of a sleazy lawyer in this neo-noir launched him to stardom and earned him his first Oscar nomination at age 31. The critical acclaim and box office success of “Body Heat” paved the way for more leading roles.
Best Actor Oscar for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” (1985)
This drama about two men in a Brazilian prison earned Hurt widespread praise. He won Best Actor for embodying the flamboyant yet vulnerable character Luis Molina.
Nominated for “Children of a Lesser God” (1986)
Paired up beautifully with Marlee Matlin, Hurt played a speech teacher who falls in love with a custodian (Matlin) at a school for the deaf. He mastered sign language for the role and earned his third Best Actor Oscar nod in five years.
Best Supporting Actor Nominee for “A History of Violence” (2005)
After a quieter period in the 1990s, Hurt received acclaim in this crime thriller directed by David Cronenberg. He played a mob boss from Philadelphia with an unsettlingly calm demeanor.
During his peak decades, Hurt commanded seven-figure salaries to star in top films like “Broadcast News,” “The Accidental Tourist,” and “The Big Chill.” While he slowed down later in his career, his net worth still reached eight-figures largely due to residuals and royalties.
William Hurt’s Assets: Real Estate and More
In addition to the money he earned as an A-list actor at the height of his fame, William Hurt acquired significant assets over the years, notably in real estate.
Oregon Ranch
Hurt owned a 35-acre ranch near the town of Madras in Central Oregon. He originally purchased the property for $600,000 in the 1990s. Due to soaring land values in Oregon over the past 30 years – especially for private ranches with acreage – the worth of Hurt’s ranch likely multiplied to around $3 million by 2022.
Table 1: Estimated Value Growth of William Hurt’s Oregon Ranch
| Purchase Price (1990s) | Estimated Value in 2022 | |-|-|-|
| $600,000 | $3,000,000 |
Homes in New York and France
In addition to his Oregon escape, Hurt owned a home in New York as well as a residence in France. Specific details on these properties are scarce, but most long-time homes in New York and France would easily fetch seven-figures in value. Hurt lived in France for periods of time with French actress and filmmaker Sandrine Bonnaire, with whom he had a daughter named Jeanne.
Overall, his real estate assets likely accounted for $4 – $5 million toward William Hurt’s $14 million net worth calculation after his death.
Other Assets Unknown
Details on William Hurt’s other assets like cash savings, investments, royalties, luxury vehicles, etc. have not been made public. But given his long acting career and wise money management, he likely left behind a reasonable amount of assets that his son William Hurt will inherit.
What Was William Hurt’s Salary Per Movie?
In William Hurt’s early career, he likely earned around $250,000 – $500,000 per film as a rising star in the late 1970s/early 1980s like in “Body Heat” and “The Big Chill.”
His salary shot up after winning the Best Actor Oscar in 1985 for “Kiss of the Spider Woman” – likely earning $1 million – $3 million for projects thereafter through the 1980s at his peak like “Children of a Lesser God,” “Broadcast News,” etc.
As salaries escalated more in the 1990s/2000s, veteran actors of Hurt’s caliber could make $5 million plus even for small roles. For example, Hurt earned a reported $4 million for just two weeks of work in the 2008 superhero film “The Incredible Hulk.”
So in total, a conservative estimate of William Hurt’s cumulative career earnings just from acting might land around $75 – $100 million before taxes. The tail end of his acting work helped pad his net worth over the past decade.
Did William Hurt Have Royalties or Residuals?
Yes, as a veteran actor with many iconic performances under his belt, William Hurt benefited from royalties and residuals that contributed significantly to his $14 million net worth.
For example, Hurt likely earned residuals every time one of his classic films like “Body Heat,” “The Big Chill,” or “Children of a Lesser God” re-aired on TV or appeared on streaming platforms for new audiences. Over 40+ years, those royalties really add up.
Actors also commonly negotiate royalty payments representing a small percentage of a film’s total revenue or profits. So Hurt may have gotten bonus checks if newer movies he acted in like “A History of Violence” or Marvel’s “The Incredible Hulk” performed well commercially.
Between royalties and residuals from both film and TV projects, an actor of William Hurt’s renown could expect 7-figure extra earnings over the course of their career.
What Real Estate and Properties Did William Hurt Own?
As noted above, William Hurt’s most valuable piece of real estate was his sprawling 35-acre ranch in Central Oregon he purchased in the 1990s for $600,000. The huge rise in Oregon’s property values over 30 years likely made this ranch worth around $3 million by itself.
Hurt also owned at least one home in New York City, given he lived and worked there for much of his career. He was a prolific theater actor on Broadway in addition to his film success. Most longtime NYC apartments or properties would sell for high six-figures at minimum today.
Additionally, it’s been reported that William Hurt spent a lot of time later in life at a home in France that he shared with partner Sandrine Bonnaire. Home values in most parts of France range from around $300,000 on the lower end to millions for lavish properties.
So between his Oregon ranch, New York residence, and home in France, William Hurt likely had almost $5 million just in total real estate assets contributing to his eight-figure net worth.
What Awards Did William Hurt Receive?
As one of the most acclaimed actors of the 1980s, William Hurt received numerous awards and nominations over his prolific career including:
- Best Actor Oscar: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
- 3 Oscar Nominations for Best Actor: Body Heat (1981), Children of a Lesser God (1986), A History of Violence (2005)
- 2 Golden Globe Wins for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
- 5 Additional Golden Globe Nominations
- 2 BAFTA Awards for Best Actor
- 2 Emmy Award Nominations
- Cannes Best Actor Award: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
In total, Hurt received 4 major acting awards, 2 Academy Awards, and over 15 nominations from various groups. This level of critical recognition enabled him to remain an in-demand performer all the way through his later career.
What Were William Hurt’s Memorable Film Roles?
Although William Hurt showed versatility across different genres, these key films represented some of his most iconic performances:
- Body Heat (1981) – Hurt’s fame skyrocketed after his slimy, manipulative lawyer seduced a married woman played by Kathleen Turner into helping plot her husband’s murder.
- Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) – Hurt masterfully conveyed the homosexuality and fragility of Luis Molina, a flamboyant prisoner who bonds with his cellmate (Raul Julia) in a repressive South American prison.
- Children of a Lesser God (1986) – Starring beside Marlee Matlin, Hurt played a speech teacher at a school for the deaf who wants to rescue his new lover (Matlin) from her silent isolation.
- Broadcast News (1987) – As the arrogant yet insecure network news reporter Aaron Altman, Hurt nabbed his 4th Best Actor nomination in 7 years.
- Smoke (1995) – Set in 1990s Brooklyn, this tale of intersect
Conclusion
In reviewing William Hurt’s acting accomplishments, awards haul, filmography, assets, and overall net worth estimated around $14 million – it’s clear he established himself as true Hollywood royalty over a nearly 50-year career.
While he commanded some of his highest paychecks during his 1980s peak, Hurt continued working steadily through the 2000s and 2010s – ultimately appearing in high-profile films like “Avengers: Endgame” and “Black Widow” as the original face of Marvel’s “Thunderbolt” Ross shortly before his death. Wise investments and property purchases also enabled him to maintain multimillionaire status into his later years.
Beyond the money and accolades, William Hurt will be remembered for pioneering an ultra-intense acting approach applauded by critics and codified by his four Oscar nominations. By throwing his entire spirit into emo, mentally complicated lead roles few of his contemporaries could’ve pulled off, Hurt left behind an acting ethos for aspirants to admire for generations. No matter changing tastes, the depth and complexity William Hurt infused into characters like Luis Molina in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” will echo through cinema’s annals eternally.
FAQs
What was William Hurt’s highest grossing movie?
That would be 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” which grossed over $2 billion worldwide. While Hurt had a minor supporting role as Thaddeus Ross, he likely earned a healthy backend check from theatrical profits and residuals as part of the unprecedented successful Marvel franchise.
Did William Hurt appear in any commercial failures?
Yes – in fact one famous flop was 1992’s “The Doctor” costarring Christine Lahti. With a budget of $55 million, it only managed $34 million at the box office. However stars like Hurt continued commanding big salaries regardless of individual film performance at his peak.
How much money did William Hurt make for Marvel movies?
Specific salary data isn’t available, but as a featured supporting player in “The Incredible Hulk,” “Captain America: Civil War”, “Avengers: Infinity War”, “Endgame” and “Black Widow” over 13 years, Hurt likely earned between $10-$20 million cumulatively from the recurring Marvel role.
Did William Hurt lose money from scandals and lawsuits?
Hurt didn’t have any major scandals or lawsuits dragging down his net worth. He weathered a storm in 1989 when he was sued for breaching a verbal lifetime contract with an ex-girlfriend. But the case settled quickly with no material financial impact either way.
What charities or causes did William Hurt support?
Hurt donated time and money to various organizations over the years. Some examples are health-oriented groups like the Hope Wellness Center and Dhamma Dena Meditation Center. He also championed environmental initiatives like Nature Conservancy as a long time Oregon resident at his ranch.