How did William Hurt die? Health struggles explored as ex Marlee Matlin opens up about late actor’s addiction battle

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore also addresses William Hurt’s addiction battle. According to the upcoming documentary, the late actor—who dated his Children of a Lesser God co-star during the ’80s—was struggling with addiction and went to rehab.

Marlee Matlin claimed to have shared a tumultuous relationship with William Hurt. In her documentary, the Oscar winner, despite shedding light on their abusive relationship, also credited The Incredible Hulk star for inspiring her to battle drug use. She recounted (via People):

“He went to rehab, and I was able to see what it did for him, and I knew that checking in there would do me great.”

William Hurt passed away in March 2022, a week before his 72nd birthday. His son revealed in an official statement (via Deadline) that the actor died of natural causes while being surrounded by his family. According to Wink News, Hurt was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, which metastasized to the bone.

A few days after Hurt’s demise, Daily Mail reported on the actor’s refusal to take opiates for treatment due to his decades-long sobriety. A source told the outlet:

“His death was not so much tragic as a gift. He was experiencing so much pain and suffering, and he went out peacefully. He was totally against taking opiates because he had been sober for decades.”

The source added,

“That’s why he sought out alternative treatments. And he had been doing really well for so long. He even did a couple of movies in between all of this. But the cancer just got the best of him. He succumbed to getting morphine just in the last week.”

William Hurt had an alcohol addiction, which he acknowledged in an interview with The Washington Post in 1989. The actor told the publication:

“I'm an alcoholic — a recovering alcoholic. I'm finally admitting that I needed help with that. I'm finally admitting what it was — which is a disease, like diabetes or cancer. And accepting that has meant the difference between a happy and an unhappy life. The most important day in my life was the day I asked for help.”

According to Looper, the Kiss of the Spider Woman star admitted himself to the Betty Ford Rehabilitation Clinic in 1986. Per The Oregon Encyclopedia, he remained sober after the late ’80s.

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Marlee Matlin accused William Hurt of physical abuse and sexual assault in her Memoir

The actress, activist, and first-ever deaf Oscar-winner authored I’ll Scream Later in 2009. In her memoir, she dropped some shocking revelations about her relationship with William Hurt.

Marlee Matlin accused her former co-star and partner of sexually assaulting and physically abusing her. The actress reiterated the abuse allegations in the recent documentary, stating Hurt had “a habit of abuse.”

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Matlin claimed in 2009:

“I always had fresh bruises every day. And if I had a split lip, or if...I mean, there were a lot of things that happened that were not pleasant. I was always afraid...of him, but I loved him. Or maybe I thought I did. But look, I was 19, he was 35.”

Reacting to the allegations, William Hurt later issued a statement that read (via E! News):

“My own recollection is that we both apologized and both did a great deal to heal our lives. Of course, I did and do apologize for any pain I caused. And I know we have both grown. I wish Marlee and her family nothing but good.”

Years later, Marlee Matlin addressed her abusive relationship again and revealed how she relied upon her mentor, Henry Winkler, after parting ways with William Hurt. In a June 2025 interview, she told Fox News Digital through an interpreter:

“He didn’t make it hard for me to reach out to him. He was always available. It was like an open door – an open door to his heart and my heart. And he knew that."

She hailed Winkler and his wife while sharing:

“He knows that he’s done that to a lot of people. But to have that close relationship, I was just very, very fortunate. And I knew that both he and his wife were gold to me. I don’t think if I had Henry in my life, I would be here. I don’t think I would’ve made it this far. I don’t think so.”

According to Fox News, the actress stayed for two years at her mentor’s home, whose family treated her as “one of their own.” Matlin met her future husband and a police officer, Kevin Grandalski, while shooting a scene from Reasonable Doubts, per People. They eventually tied the knot at Winkler’s home in 1992.

The couple shared four children, while the actress continued her activism and acting work across TV, movies, and theater. She also authored four books, including her 2009 memoir, while a documentary on her life will be released on June 20, 2025.