Last night, we learned that legendary character actor, a man who was seemingly everywhere and in everything, John Hurt, passed away at the age of 77.
There seemed to be no job too small or too brief for Hurt, who never bothered turn his celebrity into leading-man roles. He worked brilliantly in the margins of classic movies; and anytime he popped up on screen, those in the audience who knew best would light up. His gruff delivery and dogged gaze elevated any otherwise insignificant role.
It would be a fool’s errand to try and list all of the wonderful roles from John Hurt. There are too many to count scattered among his 205 imdb credits. So I just picked five roles that stuck out to me, personally. Five that are great, however brief they may be, and five that encapsulate the diversity of one of the best “That Guy in That Thing” actors of all time.
5. Hazel, Watership Down
Yes, one of John Hurt’s most memorable roles was a cartoon. But it wasn’t just any cartoon; Watership Down is a harrowing adventure story about a group of rabbits fighting for their own survival, and the gravity of Hurt’s iconic voice – he plays Hazel, one of the leaders of the group – makes every serious moment hit home.
