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Helen Hunt -

Helen Elizabeth Hunt was born on June 15, 1963, in Culver City, California. She was introduced to acting by her father, Gordon Hunt, who was a film, voice, and stage director as well as an acting coach.

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Early life -

After the family moved to New York, the young Helen began attending the plays her father directed, often several times a week. Later, back in Los Angeles, she studied ballet and briefly attended UCLA before choosing to pursue acting as a full-time career.

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Early TV and film work -

Work as a child actress in television during the 1970s led to a small role in 'Rollercoaster' (1977), her movie debut. In 1985, she costarred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Shannen Doherty in the 1985 romantic comedy dance film 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' (pictured).

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'Peggy Sue Got Married' (1986) -

The blossoming actress made an impression in Francis Ford Coppola's 'Peggy Sue Go Married,' working alongside Kathleen Turner and Nicolas Cage.

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Rumors of an affair -

In 1987, she starred opposite Matthew Broderick in 'Project X'. Rumors of an affair between Hunt and Broderick made the gossip columns in 1988. 'Dirty Dancing' star Jennifer Grey suspected as much, believing Broderick, whom she was dating at the time, did the dirty on her.

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'Next of Kin' (1989) -

Coincidentally, 'Next of Kin' saw Hunt work alongside 'Dirty Dancing' star Patrick Swayze, together with Liam Neeson, Adam Baldwin, Bill Paxton, and Ben Stiller, the latter in one of his earliest roles.

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A-list status -

Hunt worked extensively in television throughout the 1980s. But it was 'Mad About You' that elevated her star status across North America, the hit TV series effectively launching her career.

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'Mad About You' (1992–1999) -

'Mad About You' costarred Paul Reiser and was a huge success. Her popularity on the show garnered Hunt numerous awards and nominations, and led to even greater success in cinema.

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Emmy Award winner -

In all, Helen Hunt won four Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on 'Mad About You,' in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.

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Golden Globe winner -

Additionally, the 'Mad About You' actress was awarded a total of three Golden Globes, in 1994, 1995, and 1997. But the best was yet to come.

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'Kiss of Death' (1995) -

While still attached to the series, Hunt made several forays into cinema. The crime thriller 'Kiss of Death' saw her once again team up with Nicolas Cage, alongside David Caruso and Samuel L. Jackson.

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'Twister' (1996) -

The following year she made 'Twister,' working alongside Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The movie stormed through the box office and was praised for its special effects.

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'As Good as It Gets' (1997) -

In 1997, Hunt costarred opposite Jack Nicholson in the romantic comedy-drama 'As Good as It Gets.' A critical and commercial success, the movie really didn't get much better for the actress!

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Best Actress Oscar win -

Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Actor and Best Actress respectively, a rare accolade for a single picture. Hunt also walked away with her fourth Golden Globe.

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Marriage to Hank Azaria -

On July 17, 1999, Helen Hunt married actor Hank Azaria. It was a brief union, lasting just a year. The actress filed for divorce after a six-month separation, citing irreconcilable differences. The split was finalized on December 18, 2000.

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'What Women Want' (2000) -

In 2000, Helen Hunt could be seen in no less than four movies: 'Dr. T & the Women,' 'Pay It Forward,' 'Cast Away,' and 'What Women Want.'

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Relationship with Matthew Carnahan -

Helen Hunt found love again with American producer, writer, and director Matthew Carnahan. They met in 2001, and in 2004 had a daughter. The couple never married, and spilt in 2017. The actress currently remains single.

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'Empire Falls' (2005) -

From 2000 to 2005, the actress starred in seven big-screen productions before deciding to return to the small screen with the miniseries 'Empire Falls.' Hunt is seen with co-star Ed Harris in a scene from the show. 'Empire Falls' is noted for being Paul Newman's final onscreen appearance. 

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'Bobby' (2006) -

Hunt joined a star-studded ensemble cast for 'Bobby,' a fictionalized account of the hours leading up to the June 5, 1968 shooting of US Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

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'Then She Found Me' (2007) -

In 2007, Helen Hunt made her feature film directorial debut with 'Then She Found Me.' She also served as co-screenwriter and producer, and starred in the comedy drama alongside Bette Midler and Colin Firth. Hunt was no stranger to working on the other side of the camera, having directed episodes of various TV shows, including 'Mad About You.' In 2014 she returned to the director's chair with 'Ride.'

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Stage actress -

Helen Hunt is an accomplished stage actress, having made her Broadway theatrical debut in 1989 in 'Our Town.' She's appeared in three Shakespeare plays, the most recent being 2010's 'Much Ado About Nothing' (pictured), appropriately at the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles.

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'Soul Surfer' (2011) -

In the inspirational movie 'Soul Surfer,' Hunt portrayed Cheri Hamilton, the mother of professional surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm in a 2003 shark attack.

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'The Sessions' (2012) -

Hunt's next role surprised many. She elected to portray real-life sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene in 'The Sessions.' The film is based on  American journalist, poet, and quadriplegic Mark O'Brien's hiring of Cohen-Greene to lose his virginity.

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Oscar-nominated role -

The film includes Hunt in many scenes where she is fully undressed, with John Hawkes playing O'Brien. For her efforts, Hunt was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

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Joining the Women's March -

Never much of a socially active or political animal, Helen Hunt nevertheless felt compelled to join the historic Women's March in Los Angeles on January 21, 2017, to help promote women's rights and equality.

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'The Miracle Season' (2018) -

By now reducing her film and television output, Hunt played a volleyball coach in 2018's 'The Miracle Season.' The picture is based on the true story of the Iowa City West High School volleyball team.

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'I See You' (2019) -

A new genre presented itself with 'I See You,' a horror thriller whose scares and suspense found favor with many critics.

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'World on Fire' (2019) -

Hunt had a recurring role in the 2017 television miniseries 'Shots Fired,' but shared top billing in series 1 of the British war drama TV series 'World on Fire,' in which she portrayed Nancy Campbell, an American journalist struggling to broadcast the truth from Berlin in 1939 as the Second World War dawned.

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'Mad About You' (2019) -

Nearly 20 years after the original series ended, Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser reunited for a limited season 8 revival of 'Mad About You.' The reboot was affectionately received, with the chemistry between the pair clearly undiminished after two decades.

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'The Night Clerk' (2020) -

Hunt's only screen appearance in 2020 was in the the Netflix picture 'The Night Clerk.' While it made it onto the streamer's Top 10 chart, debuting at number six, most critics dismissed the film with average reviews.

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'How It Ends' (2021) -

Premiering at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival was the well-received 'How It Ends.' It stars Zoe Lister-Jones and Cailee Spaeny, with Helen Hunt being one of over 20 other actors making cameo appearances.

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'Blindspotting' (2021–present) -

The actress returned to the small screen in 2021 in a recurring role as Rainey in 'Blindspotting,' a spin-off sequel of the 2018 film of the same name.

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'Eureka Day' (2022) -

Helen Hunt was back on stage for 'Eureka Day,' which originally opened off Broadway in 2019 before transferring to London's Old Vic in 2022, where the Hollywood actress joined the cast (pictured with crew members). 

Sources: (Showbiz Cheat Sheet) (Ability Magazine) (Women's March Foundation)

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