Helen Hunt Biography

Helen Hunt was born on June 15, 1963, in Culver City, California, USA, to Gordon Hunt and his photographer wife Jane. Her father was an acting coach and theater director. She is of mixed descent.

She became familiar with theater at a young age because of her father’s profession. As a child, she attended plays regularly.

She made her film debut as a child artist in the television movie ‘Pioneer Woman’ in 1973.

Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, she appeared in various television series, television films, and feature films in minor roles. As a teenager, she appeared in several television series like ‘The Swiss Family Robinson’ (1975-76) and ‘It Takes Two’ (1982-83).

As a young woman, she was cast in a recurring role in the medical drama ‘St. Elsewhere’ where she played ‘Clancy Williams’ during the 1984-86 seasons.

Her big television break happened when she was offered the role of ‘Jamie Buchman,’ a newly wed woman, in the NBC sitcom ‘Mad About You’ in 1992. The highly popular show ran till 1999.

The success of ‘Mad About You’ ensured that the actress got noticed for her acting skills. Hunt, who was playing minor roles in films so far, was now being offered substantial roles. She played ‘Dr. Jo Harding’ in the disaster drama film ‘Twister’ in 1996 which became a huge commercial hit.

Her role as ‘Carol Connelly’ in the 1997 rom-com ‘As Good as it Gets,’ in which she played a single mother who falls in love with a complicated man, earned her several awards and nominations.

She played the female lead ‘Darcy McGuire’ opposite Mel Gibson in the 2000 rom-com ‘What Women Want.’

In 2001, she acted in Woody Allen’s crime comedy ‘The Curse of the Jade Scorpion,’ which also featured Elizabeth Berkley, Charlize Theron, and Wallace Shawn. The film received mixed reviews but garnered a cult following.

In the 2006 American drama film ‘Bobby,’ she played ‘Samantha,’ a campaign donor. The film was a fictionalized account of the shooting of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

She became a screenwriter, director, and producer in 2007 with the comedy drama film ‘Then She Found Me.’ She also acted in the film, portraying the character of ‘April Epner’ who finds herself entangled in several domestic problems.

One of her most poignant roles came in ‘The Sessions,’ a 2012 film about a disabled poet named ‘Mark O’Brien’ and his experience with a sex surrogate. She was critically appreciated for her role.

From 2013 to 2019, she appeared in many films like ‘Decoding Annie Parker,’ ‘Ride,’ ‘I Love You, Daddy,’ ‘The Miracle Season,’ and ‘I See You.’

Meanwhile, Hunt played the main role of ‘Governor Patricia Eamons’ in the 2017 television miniseries ‘Shots Fired.’ In 2019, she started playing American journalist ‘Nancy Campbell’ in the British war drama series ‘World on Fire.’

In 2020, she was seen playing ‘Ethel Bromley’ in the American crime drama film ‘The Night Clerk.’ Directed by Michael Cristofer, the film released on February 21, 2020.

She came into prominence by appearing in the television series ‘Mad About You’ in which she played ‘Jamie Buchman.’ She won numerous awards for this show and it also paved the way for a highly successful Hollywood career.

She gave one of her finest performance in the rom-com ‘As Good as it Gets’ for which she earned several awards, including a ‘Golden Globe.’

She won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress in a Leading Role’ for the portrayal of ‘Carol Connelly’ in ‘As Good as it Gets.’

She won the ‘Primetime Emmy Award’ for ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series’ four times in a row from 1996 to 1999 for her portrayal of ‘Jamie Buchman’ in NBC’s ‘Mad About You.’

She was presented with ‘The Golden Globe Award’ for ‘Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy’ thrice (1994, 1995, and 1997) for playing ‘Jamie Buchman’ in ‘Mad About You.’

She had a brief marriage with actor Hank Azaria that lasted 17 months.

She was in a relationship with director/producer Matthew Carnahan with whom she has a daughter. Hunt and Carnahan went their separate ways in August 2017.

Helen Hunt is an accomplished surfer and has been spotted catching waves in various locations around the world.

She has a unique talent for playing the saxophone and has been known to jam with fellow musicians on set.

Helen Hunt is a passionate advocate for environmental causes and has been involved in various initiatives to protect the planet.

She is a skilled painter and often incorporates her artwork into her home decor.

Helen Hunt is an avid hiker and enjoys exploring nature trails in her free time.