Linda Hunt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Linda Hunt
Hunt in 2015
Born	Lydia Susanna Hunt (1945-04-02) April 2, 1945 (age 80) Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Art Institute of Chicago (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1972–2023
Height	145 cm (4 ft 9 in)
Spouse(s)	Karen Kline ​ (m. 2008)​
Awards	Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (1983)

Linda Hunt (born Lydia Susanna Hunt on April 2, 1945) is an American actress. She is known for her unique voice and powerful acting. Linda Hunt has appeared in many movies, TV shows, and even video games.

One of her most famous roles was playing Billy Kwan in the 1982 movie The Year of Living Dangerously. For this role, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This was special because she was the first person to win an Oscar for playing a character of the opposite gender. She has also been in films like Popeye (1980), Dune (1984), and Kindergarten Cop (1990).

On television, Linda Hunt is well-known for playing Henrietta "Hetty" Lange in the CBS series NCIS: Los Angeles from 2009 to 2023. She also lent her voice to Grandmother Willow in the animated movie Pocahontas (1995) and narrated the God of War video game series.

Early Life and Education

Linda Hunt was born on April 2, 1945, in Morristown, New Jersey. She grew up in Westport, Connecticut. Her father, Raymond Davy Hunt, was a vice president at an oil company. Her mother, Elsie Doying Hunt, was a piano teacher.

When she was a teenager, Linda Hunt was diagnosed with a condition that affected her growth, making her shorter than average. She is 4 feet 9 inches (145 cm) tall. She studied at the Interlochen Arts Academy and later graduated from the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Acting Career Highlights

Linda Hunt had a successful career on stage before becoming famous in movies and television.

Theatre Performances

She made her first appearance on Broadway in 1975 in a play called Ah, Wilderness. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the 1984 play End of the World. She also won awards for her work in Off-Broadway plays like Top Girls.

Linda Hunt once said that acting on stage is "like an explosion each night." She enjoyed the challenge of creating a character with great focus.

Film Roles

Linda Hunt's first movie role was in the 1980 musical comedy Popeye.

Her role as Billy Kwan in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) brought her worldwide recognition. To play Billy Kwan, she changed her appearance with a wig, makeup, and even shaved her eyebrows. This role earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She also played the character Shadout Mapes in the 1984 movie Dune. In 1990, she appeared as the strict principal Miss Schlowski in Kindergarten Cop, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Television Appearances

Linda Hunt has had many roles on television. She played Judge Zoey Hiller on the series The Practice for several years. She also appeared as Dr. Claire Bryson on Without a Trace.

From 2009 to 2023, she was a main cast member on the popular CBS show NCIS: Los Angeles. She played Henrietta "Hetty" Lange, the clever and mysterious operations manager. Due to safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, her appearances were reduced in later seasons. She won two Teen Choice Awards for her work on NCIS: Los Angeles.

Voice Acting Work

Linda Hunt is known for her distinctive, husky voice. She has narrated many documentaries, cartoons, and commercials.

She voiced the wise character Grandmother Willow in the animated Disney movie Pocahontas (1995) and its sequel Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998). She also narrated the God of War video game series, telling the story of the ancient Greek myths.

Personal Life

Linda Hunt has been in a relationship with her partner, Karen Kline, since 1978. They got married in 2008.

She is also an ambassador for the Best Friends Animal Society, which helps animals. In 2018, Linda Hunt was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles. This led to her taking some time off from NCIS: Los Angeles.

Acting Credits

Film Roles

Television Roles

Theater Roles

Video Game Voice Roles

• Disney's Animated Storybook: Pocahontas as Grandmother Willow
• God of War as Narrator
• God of War II as Gaia/Narrator
• God of War: Chains of Olympus as Narrator
• God of War: Ghost of Sparta as Narrator
• God of War: Ascension as Narrator

Theme Park Voice Roles

See also

In Spanish: Linda Hunt para niños

• List of actors with Academy Award nominations