William Hurt, Marvel’s General Ross, passes away at 71


Oscar-award winning actor William Hurt has sadly passed away at the age of 71. After a four-year battle with prostrate cancer, the actor most recently known for his roles in multiple Marvel superhero movies has died.

William Hurt passes away

Reported by Deadline, Hurt's son, also William, announced the news on Sunday afternoon. Hurt announced that the actor had passed away peacefully. In 2018, it was announced that the actor had terminal prostrate cancer. Unfortunately, the disease spread into the actor’s bones.

“It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday,” William Hurt Jr. said. “He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time.”

Hurt was Oscar-nominated three times in 1985 for his role in Kiss of the Spider-Woman; he also won BAFTAs for Best Actor in the production. The actor was also Oscar-nominated for his role in A History of Violence.

In recent years, the actor was best known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Playing the role of General “Thunderbolt” Ross, Hurt starred in multiple Marvel movies. Starting in The Incredible Hulk, Hurt continued his MCU tenure in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. His last Marvel appearance was in Black Widow.

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Colleagues pay their respects

After news of Hurt’s passing hit, a number of colleagues eulogised the beloved actor. On Twitter, Marvel co-star Mark Ruffalo wrote: “Wow, another major loss to the acting community. Great actor. Great mind. RIP."

Russell Crowe, who worked with Hurt on Robin Hood discussed one of his favourite interactions with the actor:

“William Hurt has passed. On Robin Hood, I was aware of his reputation for asking character based questions, so I had compiled a file on the life of William Marshall. He sought me out when he arrived on set. I handed him the stack. Not sure if I’ve ever seen a bigger smile. RIP.”

M. Night Shyamalan, director of The Village, also discussed working with the actor:

“I’m so sad to hear of the passing of William Hurt. I had the privilege of directing him in The Village. He was a master of his acting craft. Every take was new and revealing.”

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