Helen Hunt Biography (1963-)

Full name, Helen Elizabeth Hunt; born June 15, 1963, in Los Angeles (some sources cite Culver City), CA; daughter of Gordon (an acting coach and director)and Jane (a photographer) Hunt; niece of Peter Hunt (a director); married Hank Azaria (an actor), July 17, 1999 (divorced); children: Makena'lei Gordon Carnahan (with Matthew Carnahan, a director, producer, and writer). Addresses: Office: Hunt/Tavel Productions, 9171 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 406, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.; Agent: Brian Lourd, Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Manager: Connie Tavel, Tavel Entertainment, 9171 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 406, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.; Publicist: Steven Huvane, PMK/HBH Public Relations, 8500 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, director, producer, writer
Birth Details: June 15, 1963; Los Angeles, California, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Appearances
Series
Jill Prentiss, Amy Prentiss, NBC, 1974-1975
Helga Wagner (some sources cite Helga Robinson), The Swiss Family Robinson (also known as Island of Adventure), ABC, 1975-1976
Kerry Gerardi, The Fitzpatricks, CBS, 1977-1978
Lisa Quinn, It Takes Two, ABC, 1982-1983
Clancy Williams, St. Elsewhere, NBC, between 1984 and 1986
Voice, The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (animated), syndicated, 1990-1991
Rebecca Miller, My Life and Times, ABC, 1991
Jamie Eunice Stemple Buchman, Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1992-1999
Miniseries
Voice of Abbie Bright, The Wild West, syndicated, 1993
Movies
Sarah Sergeant, Pioneer Woman (also known as Pioneers), ABC, 1973
Susan Lindsay, All Together Now, ABC, 1975
Teila Rodriguez, Death Scream (also known as Homicide, Streetkill, and The Woman Who Cried Murder), ABC, 1975
Kristina Matchett, The Spell, NBC, 1977
Janice Hurley, Transplant, CBS, 1979
Kathy Miller, The Miracle of Kathy Miller, CBS, 1981
Lizzie Eaton, Angel Dusted (also known as Angel Dust), NBC,1981
Naomi, Child Bride of Short Creek, NBC, 1981
The Best Little Girl in the World, 1981
Sandy Cameron, Desperate Lives, CBS, 1982
Jenny Wells, Bill: On His Own, CBS, 1983
Kathy, Choices of the Heart (also known as In December the Roses Will Bloom Again), NBC, 1983
Tami Maida, Quarterback Princess, CBS, 1983
Debbie Markham, Sweet Revenge (also known as Bittersweet Revenge, Code of Honor, and Her Revenge), CBS, 1984
Tracey Dryer, Shooter, NBC, 1988
Jessie McCandless, Incident at Dark River (also known as Dark River--A Father's Revenge), 1989
Blossom, Into the Badlands, USA Network, 1991
Pamela Wojas Smart, Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Wojas Smart Story, CBS, 1991
Gina Pulasky, In the Company of Darkness, CBS, 1993
Janine Roby, Empire Falls, HBO, 2004
Specials
Phoebe, "I Think I'm Having a Baby," CBS Schoolbreak Specials, CBS, 1981
ABC team contestant, Battle of the Network Stars XIII, ABC, 1982
"Weekend," American Playhouse, PBS, 1982
Mary Austin, "Land of Little Rain," American Playhouse, PBS, 1988
Rene, Sexual Healing, Showtime, 1993
Host, Christmas in Washington, NBC, 1994
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond, UPN, 1996
Herself, Getting the Goods on "As Good as It Gets," 1997
Voices of Hope ... Finding the Cures for Breast and Ovarian Cancer, Lifetime, 1997
Viola/Cesario, William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (also known asTwelfth Night and Twelfth Night, or What You Will), PBS, 1998
Herself, NBC 75th Anniversary Special (also known as NBC 75th Anniversary Celebration), NBC, 2002
Awards Presentations
Presenter, The 45th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1993
Presenter, The Ninth Annual Soap Opera Awards, NBC, 1993
Presenter, The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994
Presenter, Screen Actors Guild Awards, NBC, 1995
Herself, Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, UPN, 1997
Presenter, The 69th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1997
Herself, The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
Presenter, The 50th Emmy Awards, NBC, 1998
Presenter, The 52nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1998
The 12th Annual American Comedy Awards, Fox, 1998
Presenter, The Fifth Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 1999
Presenter, The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1999
Presenter, The 71st Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1999
2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Fox, 2000
Presenter, The 27th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 2001
The Seventh Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Fox, 2001
Herself, AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Tom Hanks, USA Network, 2002
Presenter, The 74th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2002

Episodic
Diana, "Omega," Ark II, CBS, 1976
Robin Trask, "Such Sweet Sorrow," Family, ABC, 1976
Laurie Slaughter, "Murray Ghosts for Ted," The Mary Tyler Moore Show (also known as Mary Tyler Moore), CBS, 1977
Princess Aura, "Sanctuary Earth," The Bionic Woman, NBC, 1978
Betsy, "Hitchhiker: Part 2," Knots Landing, CBS, 1980
Emily, "Dope," Facts of Life, NBC, 1980
"Daylight Serenade," Family, ABC, 1980
"Hard Times," Family, ABC, 1980
Brenda, "Breach of Faith," Knots Landing, CBS, 1981
Brenda, "Step One" (also known as "Husbands and Lovers"), Knots Landing, CBS, 1981
Lisa Quinn, The Two of Us, CBS, 1981
Nancy Lawrence, "The Bogeyman Will Get You," Darkroom, ABC, 1981
Valerie, "An Unmarried Couple," Gimme a Break!, NBC, 1982
Lizzy MacGail, "Thoroughbreds: Parts 1 & 2," Highway to Heaven, NBC, 1985
Donette, "Why Are You Here?," The Hitchhiker, HBO, 1987
Herself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1987
Amanda "Sissy" Simpson, "The Thanks of a Grateful Nation," China Beach, ABC, 1990
Herself, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC, 1992
Herself, "The Breakdown: Part 2," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1993
Herself, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, multiple appearances, beginning 1994
Host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1994, 1997
Jamie Buchman, "The One with Two Parts: Part 1," Friends, NBC, 1995
Herself, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC, 1997
Herself, "Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute," Ellen, ABC, 1998
Voice of Renee, "Dumbbell Indemnity," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1998
"Saturday Night Live 25: The Music, 1995-1999," Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1999
Also appeared in Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo.
Pilots
Roberta, The Swiss Family Robinson, ABC, 1975
Sharon McNamara, Having Babies (also known as Giving Birth), ABC, 1976
Television Work
Series
Producer, Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC,1996-1997
Co-executive producer, Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1997-1998
Television Additional Voices
Animated Series
Goltar and the Golden Lance, syndicated, 1985
Captain Planet and the Planeteers (animated; also known as TheNew Adventures of Captain Planet), TBS, 1990-1993
Television Director
Episodic
"Cheating on Sheila," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1998
"Mother's Day," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You),NBC, 1998
"Farmer Buchman," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1999
"The Final Frontier: Parts 1 & 2," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1999
Film Appearances
Tracy Calder, Rollercoaster, Universal, 1977
Lena, Trancers (also known as Future Cop), Empire, 1985
Lynne Stone, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, New World, 1985
Tracy, Waiting to Act, 1985
Beth Bodell, Peggy Sue Got Married, TriStar, 1986
Voice of Mary, The Nativity (animated; also known as The Greatest Adventure: The Nativity), 1986
Teresa "Teri" McDonald, Project X, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
Hope Wyatt as an adult, Stealing Home, Warner Bros., 1988
Jennifer, Miles from Home (also known as Farm of the Year),Cinecom, 1988
Darkroom, 1988
Princess Henrietta, Cannon Movie Tales: The Frog Prince (also known as The Frog Prince and Storybook Cinema), 1988
Jessie Gates, Next of Kin, Warner Bros., 1989
Anna, The Waterdance, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
Lena Deth, Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth (also known as Future Cop II, Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth, and Trancers II: The Two Faces of Death), Full Moon, 1991
Queens Logic, Seven Arts Productions, 1991
Annie, Mr. Saturday Night, Castle Rock, 1992
Claire Enfield, Only You, 1992
Lena, Trancers 3: Deth Lives (also known as Death Lives, Future Cop III, and Trancers III), Full Moon, 1992
Reporter Rose Pondell (Scranton), Bob Roberts, Paramount, 1992
Bev Kilmartin, Kiss of Death, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1995
Dr. Joanne "Jo" Thornton-Harding, Twister, Warner Bros., 1996
Carol Connelly, As Good As It Gets (also known as Old Friends), Columbia/TriStar, 1997
Twister: Ride It Out, 1998
Arlene McKinney, Pay It Forward, Warner Bros., 2000
Bree Davis, Dr. T & the Women, Artisan Entertainment, 2000
Darcy McGuire, What Women Want, Paramount, 2000
Kelly Frears, Cast Away, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2000
Betty Ann "Fitz" Fitzgerald, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (alsoknown as Im Bann des Jade Skorpions), DreamWorks, 2001
(Scenes deleted) Truck driver, One Night at McCool's, USA Films, 2001
A Good Woman, Columbia/TriStar Films, 2004
Film Work
Coproducer, Timepiece, 2003
Stage Appearances
Jill, Been Taken, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York City, 1985
Multiple roles, Methusalem, Wallenboyd Theatre, 1985
Emily Webb, Our Town, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1989
Bianca, The Taming of the Shrew, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1990
Viola/Cesario, Twelfth Night (also known as Twelfth Night; or,What You Will), Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1998
Joan, The Guys, Actors' Gang, Hollywood, CA, 2003
Sonia, Life (x) 3, Circle in the Square Theatre, New York City, 2003
Also appeared in Alice in Wonderland, Los Angeles Cultural Arts Center, Los Angeles; Gladiators, Cast Theatre, Hollywood, CA; The Good War and Vital Signs, both Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles; and The Value of Names, Skylight Theatre, Los Angeles.
RECORDINGS
Videos
Herself, The Making of "Cast Away," Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment, 2001
Music Videos
"She Drives Me Crazy," by the Muppets, 1994
WRITINGS
Teleplays
Stories
(With Paul Reiser and Victor Levin) "The Final Frontier: Parts 1 & 2," Mad about You (episodic; also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1999

Further Reference

ADAPTATIONS

Hunt's performance as Lena in the film Trancers was included in Pulse Pounders, released by Empire Pictures in 2002.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Buzz, September, 1994
Cosmopolitan, June, 1996, p. 154
Entertainment Weekly, November 4, 1994, p. 24; December 27, 1996,p. 40
Esquire, August, 1998, pp. 67-71
Harper's Bazaar, May, 1999, p. 216
Movieline, November, 2000, pp. 56-62, 108
Newsweek, October 4, 1999, p. 66
People Weekly, September 2, 1996, p. 40
Time, December 15, 1997, p. 96
Times (London), December 5, 2002
TV Guide, March 21, 1998, pp. 32-34
Vanity Fair, May, 1996, pp. 166-69, 217-18

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