Today's Evil Beet Gossip

William Hurt=Aptly Named

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Marlee Matlin’s new book, “I’ll Scream Later” shares her story of a quick ascent to fame, her drug addiction and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her boyfriend and Children of a Lesser God co-star, William Hurt.

It’s the abuse part that bothers me the most.  Yeah, she talks about her cocaine habit, but really, who wasn’t addicted to cocaine in the eighties?  But I’ve been a fan of William Hurt for a lot of years and it totally disheartens me out to learn that he was the original Chris Brown.  In an Access Hollywood interview, Matlin alleged, “I always had fresh bruises everyday.  And if I had a split lip, or if… I mean, there were a lot of things that happened that were not pleasant.”

In trying to describe Hurt, the actress said that he was, “one of the most complex persons that I’ve ever dealt with. But, at the time, living with him was different than anything I’ve ever experienced.”  In other words, madman.

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  • Why did she wait so long to bring this up? I’m not saying I don’t believe her, but beating a deaf woman would have screwed this guy for a long time, if not forever professionally. And why has no other woman (that I know of) ever complained about his abusive behavior? Something about this doesn’t sit right with me. But I’m not a huge fan of his so I know absolutely nothing about him, and don’t care enough to do the research to see if this was not the first, nor is the last time he’s done this.

    • So you just popped on in to tell us these three key things:
      1. You dont know who this guy is, havent seen his movies.
      2. You think you can Google “history of violence William Hurt” to see if he has abused people in the past and that what ever you find on the internet is going to have loged all past bad behavior.
      3. Something doesnt sit right with you about this story involving two people you dont keep track of, are not fans of, and couldnt oick out of a line up.

      This is why I say the internet is a place where stupid festers.

    • Actually, this isn’t new news. She has stated in the past that he abused her. But since she is now stating it in a book in greater detail and publicizing the book, instead of just a magazine article, her statements are getting more attention. I’ve been aware of her having made this public years ago. The time that it takes for a victim to work up the courage to speak of their abuse should never be used to discredit that victim.

      And if he abused her when he was drunk, and then he got sober, he may have stopped the behavior. Maybe they were together during his worst period. Also, if you haven’t figured out by now that women (and men) who are abused tend to hide the abuse due to shame and fear of retribution by their abuser, then there’s something fundamental about human behavior that you have yet to learn. Huge amounts of abuse and numbers of rapes, of men, women and children, go unreported and unprosecuted. The victims are easily threatened or shamed into silence, and so it goes on.

      Look at the Dancing with the Stars instructor Alix DeSilva and the fact that although multiple women have claimed to have been raped by him, he has never been prosecuted until now. If four women are willing to come forward, then there are probably more of his victims. Look at Bill Cosby, who finally had 11 or 12 women come forward to say that he drugged and molested them. If there were 11 or 12 who were willing to speak out at last, there are probably many more who continue to keep silent out of fear or shame. And these men have professional power as well as physical power over their victims.

  • There were all of these rumors about this when she was with Hurt.
    This isnt new information she is pumping out there for self gain and tossing Chris Browns name into this story is all for the purpose of catching those little hits advertisers on this site need to see to continue to fund Beet and the staff.

  • Wow, that’s awful. He always seemed like a sweetie in the interviews of him I caught (not that that means anything, but … still, it’d be nice if the violent types were more easily recognizable.)

    It’s too bad Kelly’s not around to tell us how she used to laugh at the mental image of a deaf woman getting slapped around but doesn’t now, ‘cuz she’s, ya know, enlightened.

  • She has been talking about his emotional abuse for a long time. In fact, she gave an interview many years ago and talked about the night she won an Oscar for Children of a Lesser God. It seems that during the limo ride home, she said to her “So, I guess you think you deserve that?”
    First rate asshole for sure.

  • for what it’s worth, years ago i lived in DC and they were filming “broadcast news” right next door to my building. i was hanging out there for houors, watching, and was chatting with some of the crew. they all said william hurt was an asshole, always in a bad temper, nobody could speak to him between takes, etc. they also told me that he and marlee matlin (who was on location with him) used to fight in sign language all the time. on the other hand, they all said very positive things about holly hunter, that she was very nice and would occasionally have beer with the crew.

    • I’ve been a strong advocate for violence against women since high school. I was recently on a set w William, which was exciting. I read this afterwards and was shocked, saddened and surprised, but I’m going to read the book for more details. She also said how passionate it was….and passion can be great except when it’s not. The impression I got was complex, deliberately hard to read, uncomfortable being famous and somewhat sad. I agree his behaviors were probably related to drinking and quitting very well could have changed that. Let’s put it this way
      I’d have dinner with him. I’d love to talk to him and listen. I’ve been through heavy shit for years and it’s hard to share that with a super young and perky person. There’s a relief that he isn’t perfect and has had issues, issues made public. That must suck beyond words.

  • wtf?!

    was he raped by priests when he was young?

    what filthy basterd beats up on a deaf chick?!

    well, that’s another one that goes on my ‘shit-list’:

    ike turner
    mike tyson
    o.j.
    chris ‘shit’ brown
    robert blake
    terrence howard
    david justice
    & now….WILLIAM HURT!

    it just keeps on going, & going and going…

    • Put Wesley Snipes, who deafened Hally Berry in one ear with a single blow. It’s enough to make you wish that every little girl learned martial arts. Or at least kept their hair too short for men to grab them by it and drag them down the hall. Did you listen to Robin Givens talking on Larry King’s show about how each woman’s story of abuse sounds the same as hers? And she’s heard thousands of such stories.

  • Add Jackson Browne to your list. Remember Darryl Hannah? Yeah, I know the charges were dropped but usually where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire. Oh, and also add Bobby Brown who used to thump Whitney when he felt like it.

    • oh shiz!

      yeahhhh, jackson browne!!!! a dick from 80’s past!

      a that turd formerly known as mr. houston…how could i forget.

      browne probably was the inspiration behind ‘elle driver’ in kill bill.

      she was so kick-ass in that i’d completely forgotten her battered past.

      krav maga should be mandatory training for ALL women.

      punk-ass abusive men can suck it!

    • JFK Jr. should have married Daryl Hannah, he would still be alive if he did. Caroline Bessette was the biggest effing bitch!

  • I met him once after he appeared in a play in New York in the 1980’s.

    I asked him very politely if he would please be kind enough to sign my Playbill and he screamed at me in the most appalling manner. I certainly didn’t mind that he didn’t want to sign, but his total disrespect for me turned me off. I wouldn’t see him in a movie or play even if someone offered me free tickets. He is, in my opinion, a real jerk.

  • I was on a film set where I watched him having a screaming fight with his director. I couldn’t believe how infantile he was behaving. He then sat by himself across the street and started talking to himself. The crew hated him and told me so. That was followed up with him yelling at a fan who tried to say hello. I can’t watch him in a movie anymore without thinking about what a 5-star asshole he is.