Helen Hunt began studying acting at the age of eight with her father, respected director and acting coach 'Gordon Hunt . A year later she made her professional debut and afterwards worked steadily in films, theatre and television.
Graduated from Providence High School in Burbank, California.
She and her "Mad About You" co-star, Paul Reiser , were both given $1,000,000 per episode salaries for the 1999 TV season.
Attended UCLA for 1 month.
Celebrates Thanksgiving every year with Anthony Edwards.
Did a guest voice on " "The Simpsons" {Dumbbell Indemnity (#9.16)} " as Moes girlfriend, Renee. The voice of Moe is Hank Azaria , Helens real-life love at that time.
Got the role in Twister based on her performance in The Waterdance .
Daughter of Gordon Hunt (b. 1929) and Jane Elizabeth Novis (b 1938).
One of People Magazines 50 Most Beautiful People.
Got the lead in As Good as It Gets after Holly Hunter turned it down.
After divorcing Hank Azaria , she moved to New York, intending to do theater work, especially William Shakespeare.
Has won Four Emmys, four Golden Globes, a Blockbuster Award, two Screen Actors Guild awards, four American Comedy Awards, three Viewers for Quality Television Awards and an Oscar, along with other awards.
Her best friend is Helen Slater.
(September 2001) Witnessed the World Trade Center attacks from the roof of her brand new New York apartment and decided to leave the city right away, but could not get a flight out. She booked a private jet at considerable expense and flew herself and her staff out of Connecticut three days later, the first day they allowed private jets to fly.
She appeared in four movies released in the year 2000. Two of them were in theaters at the same time during the end-of-the-year holiday season, and grossed over $150 million each: Cast Away and What Women Want .
Only the second actress to win a Golden Globe, an Oscar, and an Emmy in the same calendar year. The first was Liza Minnelli in 1973.
Gave birth to her only child at age 40, a daughter Makena Lei Gordon Carnahan on May 13, 2004. Childs father is her ex-partner, Matthew Carnahan.
Beat Teri Hatcher for the role of Jamie Buchman in "Mad About You" at the final auditions.
She and her ex-husband, Hank Azaria , have both guest-starred on the TV show "Friends" , though not in the same episode.
Her daughter, Makena Lei, was named after a friends dream. The name means "many flowers of heaven." The babys middle name, Gordon, is in honor of Helens father, Gordon Hunt.
Frequents Hawaii, which she first visited when she was 14. Says, "Its where I feel right. I can write here, think, chill and get a clear head.".
Asked novelist Robert B. Parker to create a female private detective for her to play. The result was Parkers series of novels featuring Sunny Randall.
Was considered for the part of Carolyn Burnham in American Beauty . However Annette Bening , who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.
Stepdaughter of B.J. Ward.
Niece of Peter H. Hunt and Barbette Tweed.
Despite playing their daughter in Peggy Sue Got Married , Hunt is just 9 years younger than Kathleen Turner and 1 year older than Nicolas Cage.
Conceived her daughter Makena Lei through IVF treatment.
(March 2003) Appearing at the Circle in the Square Theatres production of Yasmina Reza s play, "Life (x) 3".
(June 2005) Received the Maui Film Festivals Stella Award at the Wailea Marriott Ballroom on June 18, 2005.
Was 4 months pregnant with her daughter Makena Lei when she completed filming A Good Woman .
Returned to work 2 years after giving birth to her daughter Makena Lei to begin filming and directing Then She Found Me .
Helens paternal grandmother was from a German Jewish family, while Helens other grandparents were of English descent. Helens maternal grandfather, Edward Norman Novis, was from St. Leonards, Hastings, Sussex, England.
Was the 113th actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Actress Oscar for As Good as It Gets at The 70th Annual Academy Awards on March 23, 1998.
Maternal granddaughter of Edward Novis (1902-1944) and Dorothy Novis (1915-2011).
Is one of 26 actresses who have received an Academy Award for their performance in a comedy; hers being for As Good as It Gets . The others in chronological order, are: Claudette Colbert ( It Happened One Night ), Loretta Young ( The Farmers Daughter ), Josephine Hull ( Harvey ), Judy Holliday ( Born Yesterday ), Audrey Hepburn ( Roman Holiday ), Goldie Hawn ( Cactus Flower ), Glenda Jackson ( A Touch of Class ), Lee Grant ( Shampoo ), Diane Keaton ( Annie Hall ), Maggie Smith ( California Suite ), Mary Steenburgen ( Melvin and Howard ), Jessica Lange ( Tootsie ), Anjelica Huston ( Prizzis Honor ), Olympia Dukakis ( Moonstruck ), Cher ( Moonstruck ), Jessica Tandy ( Driving Miss Daisy ), Mercedes Ruehl ( The Fisher King ), Marisa Tomei ( My Cousin Vinny ), Dianne Wiest ( Bullets Over Broadway ), Mira Sorvino ( Mighty Aphrodite ), Frances McDormand ( Fargo ), Judi Dench ( Shakespeare in Love ), Gwyneth Paltrow ( Shakespeare in Love ), Penlope Cruz ( Vicky Cristina Barcelona ), and Jennifer Lawrence ( Silver Linings Playbook ).
Is one of 14 actresses to have won both the Best Actress Academy Award and the Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical Golden Globe for the same performance; hers being for As Good as It Gets . The others, in chronological order, are: Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday , Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins , Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl , Liza Minnelli for Cabaret , Glenda Jackson for A Touch of Class , Diane Keaton for Annie Hall , Sissy Spacek for Coal Miners Daughter , Cher for Moonstruck , Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy , Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love , Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line , Marion Cotillard for La mme , and Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook .
Maternal niece of James Novis (b. 1941) and Catherine Fries (b. 1961), a dancer.
Is one of 15 Oscar-winning actresses to have been born in the state of California. The others are Fay Bainter , Gloria Grahame , Jo Van Fleet , Liza Minnelli , Tatum ONeal , Diane Keaton , Sally Field , Anjelica Huston , Cher , Jodie Foster , Gwyneth Paltrow , Angelina Jolie , Marcia Gay Harden and Brie Larson.
Paternal granddaughter of George Hunt (1895-1996), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Helen (Rothenberg) Roberts (1899-1935), born in New York City, New York.
Paternal great granddaughter of Gustav Rothenberg (1857-1910), born in Germany, and Florence Scholle (1863-1949), born in California.
Was up for the role of Tabitha Stephens on "Bewitched" .
Former partner of Matthew Carnahan (2001-2017); 1 child.
She was responsible for suggesting Lou Richards to her father Gordon Hunt to voice Leader-1 in Challenge of the Gobots cartoon series.
Is one of 3 actresses to have won the Best Actress Oscar (hers being for As Good as It Gets ) and the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy (hers being for "Mad About You" ). The other actresses are Loretta Young and Shirley Booth.
Friends with Mindy Cohn.
On a professional level, an Oscar means that your salary suddenly,increases by a few million and you get offered a lot more movies which,in the past you had to beg to have a chance to read for.
