- He waived his salary for Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) so the film could be made within its budget.
- Turned down the role played by Sam Neill in Jurassic Park (1993).
- Spoke French fluently.
- He was an avid private pilot with taildragger experience.
- He had a role in the since-suspended Gregg Allman biopic, Midnight Rider. Production was halted when one crew member was killed and seven others were injured when hit by a freight train on the first day of filming.
- Acted in five Best Picture nominees in the 1980s: The Big Chill (1983), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), Children of a Lesser God (1986), Broadcast News (1987), and The Accidental Tourist (1988). He was nominated for Best Actor in three of them in consecutive years from 1985 to 1987: Kiss of the Spider Woman (which he won), Children of a Lesser God, and Broadcast News.
- Was a big fan of the comic book character the Incredible Hulk and got to play the Hulk's enemy Thaddeus Ross in the 2008 adaption.
- Turned down the lead role of Paul Sheldon in Misery (1990).
- Made his stage debut in "Henry V" in 1977 for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- Lived with Children of a Lesser God (1986) actress Marlee Matlin for some years in the 1980s.
- On May 25, 2005, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts by Tufts University.
- He has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Broadcast News (1987).
- Lived in Oregon with two of his sons, William Jr. and Sam, where he died on 13 March 2022. (The boys' mother is Heidi Henderson.).
- Recipient of the first Spencer Tracy Award in 1988 for outstanding screen performances.
- He is the son of Claire Isabel (McGill) and Alfred McChord Hurt, who worked in the United States State Department. His stepfather, Henry Luce III, was the son of Time magazine founder Henry Luce.
- Was nominated for Broadway's 1985 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) for David Rabe's Hurlyburly.
- He was the first actor ever to receive an Oscar nomination for a performance in a comic book adaptation, which he received for A History of Violence (2005).
- Had four children: son Alex Hurt (born 1983) with Sandra Jennings, sons Samuel Hurt (born August 7, 1989) and William Hurt Jr. (born 1991) with ex-wife Heidi Henderson, and daughter Jeanne Bonnaire-Hurt (born February 1, 1994) with Sandrine Bonnaire.
- Went to the Middlesex School; graduated 10 years before Steve Carell.
- He had English as well as German, Scottish, and Irish ancestry.
- No relation to Sir John Hurt (Alien (1979), The Elephant Man (1980)), despite a popular misconception.
- His ex-wife, Heidi, is the daughter of famous The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) trumpeter and bandleader Skitch Henderson.
- Studied acting with Michael Howard in New York City.
- Reader on the audiobook of Paul Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar".
- Godfather of actress Meghan Glennon.
- He worked with four directors who have won a Best Director Oscar: James L. Brooks, Woody Allen, Anthony Minghella, and Steven Spielberg.
- Was the uncle of Oliver Hurt.
- He lived with Sandra Jennings from 1981 to 1984.
- Died 7 days before what would have been his 72nd birthday.
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