HOLLY HUNTER (Penny Wharvey) is one of the most intriguing actresses of our time. With every role, she has demonstrated her range of versatility and continues to do so in her various upcoming projects. Hunter is currently in pre-production for ABC's miniseries "When Billie Beat Bobby" which will air on the network early next year. She portrays tennis legend Billie Jean King in the infamous 1972 "Battle of the Sexes" match between Billie and male pro Bobby Riggs. The project rejoins Hunter and writer-director Jane Anderson, who wrote "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom." It is being produced by Goldie Hawn's Cherry Alley Productions and Alliance Atlantis, with Hawn as executive producer.
This past year, Hunter appeared opposite Billy Crudup in "Jesus' Son," released by Lion's Gate. The film also stars Samantha Morton, Denis Leary, Will Patton and Greg Germann. Hunter was also part of an ensemble cast in the improvisational black comedy thriller by Mike Figgis, "Time Code." This film was shot with four hand-held cameras resulting in a 93-minute 'real time' film. The film also stars Julian Sands, Kyle MacLachlan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Leslie Mann, Salma Hayek and Laurie Metcalf. Most recently, Hunter starred in Showtime's original movie, "Harlan County War," for which she has earned an Emmy nomination for Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. The movie tells the story of a coal mining family's struggle during the Harlan County coal strike in the 1970's.
Early next year, Hunter will star in "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her" which screened successfully on the festival circuit. The film tells various stories about love and loss in the lives of five women. The film also stars Gregory Hines, Glenn Close, Kathy Baker, Cameron Diaz and Calista Flockhart. In 1998, Hunter starred in New Line Cinema's adult-comedy "Living Out Loud" opposite Danny Devito, Elias Koteas and Queen Latifah. The film was inspired by two short stories from Anton Chehkov and centers around a woman who takes an adventure into a new life chapter. In 1993, she received the Academy Award® for her stunning performance as a mute Scottish widow in Jane Campion's "The Piano." She also received a Golden Globe Award and Best Actress award from The British Academy Award®, the New York Film Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, the National Board of Review Award, and the Cannes Film Festival Award.
The same year, Hunter also garnered an Academy Award® nomination for her performance as the investigative secretary in "The Firm," based on the John Grisham novel of the same name. In 1987, Hunter was nominated for an Academy Award® for her portrayal of a driven career-woman producer in the feature film "Broadcast News." For this role, she received the New York Film Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Film Critics Award, The National Board of Review Award and the Berlin Film Festival Award, all for Best Actress. Other film credits include "Home For the Holidays," "Copycat," "Once Around," "Always," "Raising Arizona," "Crash" and "A Life Less Ordinary."
In 1982, Hunter made her Broadway debut in Beth Henley's "Crimes of the Heart" and followed that with another Broadway play by Henley, "The Wake of Jamey Foster." Her other New York stage appearances include "The Miss Firecracker Contest," "Battery," "The Person I Once Was" and "A Weekend Near Madison." Regionally, her theatre credits include "A Doll's House," "The Inspector General," "A Lie of the Mind," "Buried Child," "Artichoke," "Eden Court" and "Ghost Fire."
Hunter co-produced and starred in Beth Henley's "Control Freaks," and produced Ray Barry's "Mother's Son" at the Met Theatre in Los Angeles. In the winter of 1998, she starred in Beth Henley's "Impossible Marriage" at the Roundabout Theatre in New York, marking her seventh collaboration with Henley.
Her television work includes HBO's "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom," for which she won the Emmy Award for Best Actress. This role also garnered her a Golden Globe nomination. Hunter was awarded the Emmy for her role as Jane Roe in NBC's "Roe vs. Wade." She also appeared in "A Gathering of Old Men."
Hunter resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Janusz Kaminski.
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