Entertainment
Hollywood Lost a Quiet Legend: Mary Beth Hurt, Who Shared the Screen with Robin Williams and Woody Allen, Dies at 79 After a Decade-Long Battle That Her Family Said Changed Everything…
She was babysat by a future movie star, married two Hollywood icons, earned three Tony nominations, and never once chased the spotlight — and yet every room she walked into on stage or screen became entirely hers.
Some actors spend their entire careers demanding to be noticed. Mary Beth Hurt never had to. She simply walked into a scene — on Broadway, on film, on television — and the camera, the audience, and her fellow actors all quietly turned toward her. That was her gift. Understated. Precise. Unforgettable.
On Saturday, March 29, 2026, that gift left the world. She was 79.
Hurt died at an assisted living facility in Jersey City, New Jersey, her husband — Oscar-nominated writer and director Paul Schrader — confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, and her daughter Molly Schrader shared the news on Instagram, writing: “Yesterday morning we lost my mom, Mary Beth, to Alzheimer’s after a decade-long battle with the disease.”
In a joint statement, Molly and Paul wrote: “She was an actress, a wife, a sister, a mother, an aunt, a friend, and she took on all those roles with grace and kind ferocity. Although we’re all grieving, there is some comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering and reunited with her sisters in peace.”
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There is something about those words — grace and kind ferocity — that captures her perfectly. Anyone who ever watched her work would recognize her in that phrase immediately.
From a Small Town in Iowa, With a Famous Babysitter
The story of Mary Beth Hurt begins in the kind of place that doesn’t typically produce Hollywood legends. She was born Mary Beth Supinger on September 25, 1946, in Marshalltown, Iowa — and here is where the story already gets interesting: her childhood babysitter was actress Jean Seberg, also a Marshalltown native.
Think about that for a moment. A little girl in small-town Iowa being watched over by a woman who would go on to become one of the most iconic faces of the French New Wave. If that’s not foreshadowing, nothing is.
Hurt came to acting through the theater halls of the University of Iowa and later NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, making her New York stage debut in 1974 and never really leaving — appearing on Broadway fifteen times over nearly four decades. That Eric Alper
Woody Allen, Robin Williams, and the Roles Nobody Else Could Have Played
Her film debut came in Woody Allen‘s 1978 drama Interiors, where she held her own opposite Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, and E.G. Marshall. Extra It was exactly the kind of introduction that tells you everything about an actress — no fanfare, no explosion, just pure, quiet command.
Then came the role many consider her finest. In The World According to Garp (1982), she delivered what many critics called her greatest screen performance, starring opposite a then-young Robin Williams. Extra In a film filled with extraordinary performances, she found her footing and held it without blinking.
Her other screen credits form a remarkable map of American cinema across four decades: The Age of Innocence (1993), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Lady in the Water (2006), and Young Adult (2011). Deadline On television, she appeared in Kojak, Thirtysomething, Saturday Night Live, and Law & Order.
Three Tony Nominations and a Broadway Legacy That Spanned Decades
What often gets overlooked in discussions of Mary Beth Hurt’s career is just how formidable she was on stage — arguably even more so than on screen.
She earned three Tony Award nominations: for Trelawny of the Wells (1975), Crimes of the Heart (1981), and Benefactors (1985–86). Deadline It was her origination of the role of Meg Magrath in Crimes of the Heart — the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Beth Henley — that earned her one of those nominations and cemented her place in American theatrical history. The Hollywood Reporter
Playwright David Hare, who directed her on Broadway, once wrote that she had “the best of the English and the best of the American traditions… She has the best of the English and the best of the American traditions. What marks English actors is that they can turn on a sixpence — there isn’t anything technically they can’t do. They’re supple, like musicians, and from the technical facility they acquire freedom.” The Hollywood Reporter That was high praise from one of the sharpest dramatic minds of the 20th century — and it was entirely deserved.
Two Marriages, One Extraordinary Life
Her personal life was woven into the fabric of Hollywood in ways that only add texture to her story.
She was married to actor William Hurt from 1971 to 1982 — long before he became an Oscar winner — and then to filmmaker Paul Schrader from 1983 until her death. UPI With Schrader, she found not just a life partner but a creative collaborator. The two worked together on films including Affliction and Light Sleeper Variety — a rare kind of partnership where love and art moved in the same direction.
She and Schrader shared two children, Molly Schrader and Sam Schrader. Parade
‘She Is No Longer Suffering’
In her final years, the Alzheimer’s diagnosis reshaped everything. By February 2023, Paul had announced that the couple had moved to a luxury senior living community in Manhattan — Mary Beth on a separate floor in memory care, Paul in another apartment in the same building Parade, close enough to be present, separated by the cruelty of a disease that takes a person slowly, quietly, piece by piece.
It is perhaps the most painful kind of goodbye — long, drawn out, full of moments where you search a familiar face for the person you knew. And yet her family’s words carry no bitterness. Only love.
“Although we’re all grieving, there is some comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering.”
That is what grace looks like. Not on a stage, not in a film — but in the way the people who loved her most chose to say goodbye.
Mary Beth Hurt. Born in a small Iowa town. Babysat by a future icon. Shaped by the stage. Quietly irreplaceable on screen. Gone at 79, but only just barely — because the kind of work she left behind doesn’t really leave at all.
Entertainment
How ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Returned to Cinemas and Reclaimed Box Office Glory
Renewed ticket sales send Marvel’s 2019 finale past ‘Avatar’ to lead the all-time global chart again.
Seven years after its original release, Avengers: Endgame has unfinished business at the box office.
The Marvel Studios blockbuster has overtaken James Cameron’s Avatar to become the highest-grossing film worldwide once again. According to The Walt Disney Company’s October 4 announcement, Endgame now holds an estimated $2.9255 billion, narrowly ahead of Avatar’s $2.9237 billion. That puts just $1.8 million between two of cinema’s biggest hits.
The lead is small. The comeback, however, is substantial: a film released in 2019 has drawn enough fresh ticket sales to rewrite the all-time chart.
The ‘Encore’ release that tipped the balance
The latest theatrical run, titled Avengers Endgame: Encore, has earned $126 million worldwide, according to TheWrap. That includes $36.2 million in North America and $89.8 million from international markets—the extra business that pushed the film back into first place.
Audiences also had a reason to return beyond revisiting a familiar blockbuster. TheWrap reports that the reissue features a modified ending and three new scenes during and after the credits, connected to Avengers: Doomsday. The release therefore serves two purposes: bringing an established favourite back to cinemas and giving viewers a bridge to the next Avengers story.
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A rivalry with a history of reversals
This is another change of leadership in a box office contest that has lasted for years.
Endgame first displaced Avatar in 2019. Cameron’s science-fiction epic regained the crown following its Chinese re-release in 2021. Now, another theatrical return has swung the result in Marvel’s favour. Re-releases have become a decisive part of the competition, extending both films’ earning lives well beyond their original runs.
The distinction matters: this is the record for worldwide theatrical revenue without adjustment for inflation, including re-release earnings. It measures money collected rather than the number of tickets sold.
Why ‘Endgame’ matters to ‘Doomsday’
The timing gives Marvel’s comeback an added significance. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to reach cinemas on December 18, 2026, and Disney has positioned Endgame as an important foundation for that next chapter.
Explaining the connection, Anthony Russo said: “You really need to pick the story up from where you left it in Endgame.”
That makes this return more than a victory lap. A film remembered for closing a major chapter of Marvel’s story is now helping introduce the next one—and, along the way, has taken back Hollywood’s most closely watched box office title.
Entertainment
Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Faces a Tough Opening: Could ‘Verity’ Take the Lead?
Cruise’s star power meets a fresh box office challenge as the Colleen Hoover adaptation emerges as a formidable rival.
Tom Cruise has spent years persuading audiences to watch him attempt the impossible. With Digger, the challenge is different: convincing moviegoers to embrace an eccentric, darkly comic character who bears little resemblance to his familiar action heroes.
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film arrives in US cinemas on October 2, 2026, carrying considerable expectations. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon confronting a catastrophe connected to his company’s actions. It is a conspicuous departure for an actor whose recent screen identity has been shaped by spectacular stunts and blockbuster franchises.
Yet the conversation before release has increasingly turned from Cruise’s transformation to a more uncomfortable question: how many people will buy a ticket?
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A costly film facing a modest opening
According to Koimoi’s September 30 report, Digger was tracking for a North American opening below $15 million, against a reported production cost of approximately $125 million. These are reported estimates, rather than confirmed earnings or a final accounting of the film’s costs.
That gap explains the concern surrounding Warner Bros.. An expensive production needs sustained attendance, and a subdued debut would place greater pressure on subsequent weekends and overseas markets.
An opening forecast cannot establish a film’s eventual profit or loss. It can, however, reveal how much work remains for the campaign.
Reviews have complicated the pitch
The critical response has been sharply divided. People reported reactions ranging from admiration for the film’s audacity and Cruise’s commitment to criticism of its scale, coherence and tone.
For potential ticket buyers, that creates an uncertain proposition. Cruise’s presence attracts attention, but attention does not automatically translate into enthusiasm for an unfamiliar kind of film.
The promotional campaign has leaned into that disagreement. The Guardian described advertising that places harsh reactions alongside praise, using the controversy itself to generate interest. Whether that approach encourages curiosity or deepens hesitation remains an open question.
Why ‘Verity’ makes the weekend more intriguing
The Hollywood Reporter expects Digger to open substantially behind Verity, the Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel. hollywoodreporter.com
Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, Verity is also scheduled to open on October 2. Its psychological-thriller premise centres on a writer who discovers a disturbing manuscript while completing another author’s book series.
From a marketing perspective, an established novel and a recognisable thriller setup could offer a more immediate hook. Digger, by comparison, asks audiences to take a greater leap into unfamiliar territory.
The audience verdict is still ahead
Cruise has clearly committed to that leap. At the London premiere, Reuters reported that his transformation involved prosthetics and a padded bodysuit, alongside a demanding performance.
The commercial outcome remains unresolved. Strong audience recommendations could give Digger momentum beyond its initial forecasts. A weak response would make its financial challenge harder.
For now, the film’s biggest suspense lies beyond the screen: whether curiosity about Cruise’s unusual gamble becomes an opening-weekend ticket purchase.
Entertainment
‘Verity’ Could Outopen ‘Digger’: Why Tom Cruise Faces a Tough Contest
The competing releases raise a compelling question: which film will persuade more audiences to buy a ticket?
Tom Cruise has spent years persuading audiences to watch him attempt the impossible. With Digger, the challenge is different: convincing moviegoers to embrace an eccentric, darkly comic character who bears little resemblance to his familiar action heroes.
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film arrives in US cinemas on October 2, 2026, carrying considerable expectations. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon confronting a catastrophe connected to his company’s actions. It is a conspicuous departure for an actor whose recent screen identity has been shaped by spectacular stunts and blockbuster franchises.
Yet the conversation before release has increasingly turned from Cruise’s transformation to a more uncomfortable question: how many people will buy a ticket?
ALSO READ : Emmy Nominations Announcement Gets a Star Twist… Liza Colón-Zayas & Jeff Hiller Set to Reveal 2026 TV Nominees
A costly film facing a modest opening
According to Koimoi’s September 30 report, Digger was tracking for a North American opening below $15 million, against a reported production cost of approximately $125 million. These are reported estimates, rather than confirmed earnings or a final accounting of the film’s costs.
That gap explains the concern surrounding Warner Bros.. An expensive production needs sustained attendance, and a subdued debut would place greater pressure on subsequent weekends and overseas markets.
An opening forecast cannot establish a film’s eventual profit or loss. It can, however, reveal how much work remains for the campaign.
Reviews have complicated the pitch
The critical response has been sharply divided. People reported reactions ranging from admiration for the film’s audacity and Cruise’s commitment to criticism of its scale, coherence and tone.
For potential ticket buyers, that creates an uncertain proposition. Cruise’s presence attracts attention, but attention does not automatically translate into enthusiasm for an unfamiliar kind of film.
The promotional campaign has leaned into that disagreement. The Guardian described advertising that places harsh reactions alongside praise, using the controversy itself to generate interest. Whether that approach encourages curiosity or deepens hesitation remains an open question.
Why ‘Verity’ makes the weekend more intriguing
The Hollywood Reporter expects Digger to open substantially behind Verity, the Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel. hollywoodreporter.com
Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, Verity is also scheduled to open on October 2. Its psychological-thriller premise centres on a writer who discovers a disturbing manuscript while completing another author’s book series.
From a marketing perspective, an established novel and a recognisable thriller setup could offer a more immediate hook. Digger, by comparison, asks audiences to take a greater leap into unfamiliar territory.
The audience verdict is still ahead
Cruise has clearly committed to that leap. At the London premiere, Reuters reported that his transformation involved prosthetics and a padded bodysuit, alongside a demanding performance.
The commercial outcome remains unresolved. Strong audience recommendations could give Digger momentum beyond its initial forecasts. A weak response would make its financial challenge harder.
For now, the film’s biggest suspense lies beyond the screen: whether curiosity about Cruise’s unusual gamble becomes an opening-weekend ticket purchase.
How ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Returned to Cinemas and Reclaimed Box Office Glory
Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Faces a Tough Opening: Could ‘Verity’ Take the Lead?
‘Verity’ Could Outopen ‘Digger’: Why Tom Cruise Faces a Tough Contest
‘Endgame’ Returns to No. 1 ‘Avatar’ Loses Its Box Office Throne
Mark Zuckerberg Faces a New Hollywood Reckoning Why Aaron Sorkin’s Film Hits Closer to Home
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