John Hurt
John Hurt
Sir John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor whose career has spanned six decades. He initially came to prominence for his supporting role as Richard Rich in the film A Man for All Seasons. Since then he has played leading roles as Quentin Crisp in the film The Naked Civil Servant, John Merrick in David Lynch's biopic The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in the dystopian drama Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in the Stephen Frears drama The Hit, and Stephen...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionActor
Date of Birth22 January 1940
mother father thinking
My mother's father drank and her mother was an unhappy, neurotic woman, and I think she has lived all her life afraid of anyone who drinks for fear something like that might happen to her.
age knew
I knew I wanted to act from a very young age - from about nine, really - but I didn't know how to go about it. I had no idea. The world was a much bigger place then.
I like entertaining. I adore it. I feel I'm in the right place. Without question.
introduced
Everybody, I think, that was in 'Harry Potter' was certainly introduced to an enormous lot of young people.
bend quieter work
Things come in a quieter way to me. It's not laziness, and it's not diffidence. I just know how far you have to bend for work. That's important for me.
bit came enjoyed gets musical
I'm not really a big musical fan. I enjoyed 'West Side Story' when it came out, but it gets a bit tired in the end.
given gives interested ought somebody thank
I'm not interested in awards. I never have been. I don't think they are important. Don't get me wrong, if somebody gives me a prize, I thank them as gratefully as I know how, because it's very nice to be given a prize. But I don't think that awards ought to be sought.
hankering particular parts played
I'm essentially the result of other people's imagination. And that's fine. Because of other people's imagination, I've played parts I would never have thought I could do. Still, I've never had a hankering or an ambition for any particular role.
drama heck left might paid school straight
I left drama school and went straight into a 10-week film for which I was paid $75 I might say, which for 1962 was one heck of a lot of money.
listen love pipes
I love the uilleann pipes and listen to Ronan Browne who's an uilleann piper.
work
I'm very much of the opinion that to work is better than not to work.
gardening physical
I like the physical activity of gardening. It's kind of thrilling. I do a lot of weeding.
reasons
I've done some stinkers in the cinema. You can't regret it; there are always reasons for doing something, even if it's just the location.
sorts
I've done all sorts of children's things before, but none as big as 'Harry Potter.'