Mary Beth Hurt passes away at 79 after battle with Alzheimer’s disease

Veteran Hollywood actress Mary Beth Hurt, known for her work in film, television, film and theatre, has sadly passed away, following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 79.

Hurt passed away on Sunday morning in Jersey City, TMZ reports. She was surrounded by family when she breathed her last. Her demise was confirmed by her daughter Molly Schrader and her husband, filmmaker Paul Schrader in a joint Facebook post.

Mary Beth Hurt's family announces her demise

Paying tribute to Mary, the family 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."

Mary Beth Hurt's acting career

Over the course of her decades-long career, Hurt worked extensively across all formats, earning three Tony Award nominations for her performances in 'Crimes of the Heart', 'Trelawny of the Wells' and 'Benefactors'. She also appeared in notable films such as 'The World According to Garp', 'Young Adult', 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose', 'The Lady in the Water' and many more.

She also collaborated with her husband on projects, including 'Affliction' and 'Light Sleeper', and made guest appearances on television series such as 'Law & Order'.

Fans pay tribute

Reacting to news of her demise, fans took to social media to share their favourite screen moments of Hurt and paid touching tribute. One wrote, "Farewell, Mary Beth Hurt. She was never anything short of brilliant, though I would argue INTERIORS was her finest hour."

Another said, "Rest well Mary Beth Hurt (1946-2026), most recently featured on our screens on 35mm just last month in her feature film debut INTERIORS (1978). The film screened last month as part of our retrospective honouring the late Diane Keaton."





She is survived by Paul Schrader, their daughter and a son.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”