Linda Hunt boasts an extensive background in the entertainment industry. The accomplished Academy Award-winning actress has portrayed the iconic character Hetty Lange in the timeless TV series NCIS since 2009. Additionally, she has graced the screen in over 50 other productions.
In total, Hunt has made appearances in 280 episodes of NCIS, earning her a well-deserved reputation as one of the show’s standout characters. Besides her remarkable acting talent, by all accounts, she is known to be an exceptional spouse.
At the age of 76, Linda Hunt has shared her life with Karen Kline for over a decade, and their enduring love story spans more than three decades. Undoubtedly, their romantic journey is truly extraordinary.
Linda Hunt, born on April 2, 1945, in Morristown, New Jersey, was raised by her parents, Elsie and Raymond Hunt, in Connecticut. However, concerns about Linda’s development arose when she was just six months old.
At that time, her parents sought medical assistance in New York because Linda’s motor skills were not progressing as expected. To their surprise, the doctors’ findings were disheartening. According to a 1991 report in The Bulletin, tests revealed that Linda had a form of cretinism, a condition characterized by severely delayed physical and mental development. It was suggested that Linda might eventually require institutionalization due to this ailment.
Elsie and Raymond, determined parents, refused to lose hope. They employed theater and reading as tools to uplift Linda’s spirits and aid in her progress.
When Linda entered school, her motor skills had caught up with those of her peers, but her petite stature and learning difficulties presented ongoing challenges.
Reflecting on her early school years, Linda said, “I was completely isolated at school almost from day one. I had a negative experience with a teacher and was made to feel unintelligent. I felt like I didn’t belong.”
She further shared with CBS, “Everyone either wanted to take care of me or push me around, you know? I was teased quite a bit, definitely.”
During fourth, fifth, and sixth grade, while everyone else was experiencing growth spurts, Linda Hunt felt like she was not progressing physically.
Linda underwent demanding treatment, as one might expect in her situation. However, she decided to use it as a form of motivation, recognizing her unique circumstances.
As she explained to the Daily Beast, “I was an exceptionally determined child. This is common among kids who are in any way different.”
Despite the challenges Linda faced in school, her parents were unwavering in their commitment to her success. When Linda was eight years old, something happened that would change her life forever.
In an interview with The Bulletin, Linda expressed her enduring passion for acting and the theater. At the age of eight, her parents took her to see Peter Pan on Broadway, an experience that would become her greatest source of inspiration.
“I’ve been fortunate to have always had a clear sense of my calling,” she mentioned. “[Mary Martin, who portrayed Peter], had this incredible faith in the world she was conjuring, and that intrigued me. She possessed the ability to make others believe in the visions of her mind.”
“It was a grandiose experience. In a way, I yearned to be larger than life because I wasn’t,” she elaborated to CBS.
Linda Hunt’s stature – characterized by dwarfism – became apparent.
At that juncture, Linda resolved to dedicate her life to the realm of acting and theater. She expressed her aspiration to become a “priestess of theater.” During high school, she secured a private acting coach and attended an exceptional boarding school.
Linda’s parents were unwavering in their support, willing to do whatever it took to help their daughter realize her dreams.
“I was incredibly fortunate that my parents provided encouragement on every front,” she acknowledged.
While Linda’s parents endorsed her pursuit of an acting career, they also harbored concerns about the need for a backup plan. Consequently, her father, Raymond, encouraged her to explore directing and even proposed the idea of pursuing a teaching degree in case other options didn’t materialize.
Their concerns turned out to be prescient. After graduating from high school, Linda Hunt received a diagnosis of hypopituitary dwarfism. This condition disrupts the body’s normal release of growth hormones, resulting in Linda’s significantly shorter stature, standing at 4 feet 9 inches tall.
Naturally, Linda wasn’t inclined to allow any diagnosis to hinder her, much like her determination during her youth.
Following her time at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and the Theatre School of DePaul University in Chicago, it was time for Hunt to set her sights high. Her passion for the theater only grew stronger after she relocated to New York City.
After making the move to the “Big Apple,” Linda found herself at a crossroads, uncertain about her next steps.
“I moved into a minuscule apartment in the city in my early 20s with the assistance of my father,” Hunt recollected.
She continued, “I was very young and feeling quite lost. I didn’t even contemplate pursuing acting professionally. That would have required getting an agent and attending auditions. I wasn’t equipped to handle any of that. It was genuinely emotionally overwhelming for me.”
Instead, Linda secured some minor roles working behind the scenes at off-Broadway theaters, and her support network encouraged her to maintain a positive outlook. She concurrently pursued various treatments for her dwarfism. However, as these treatments proved ineffective, doubts crept in regarding her prospects in the industry. Eventually, she made the decision to return to her parents’ home, where she questioned her chosen path.
It’s worth noting that during her school years, she had benefited from the guidance of a private acting coach. Ultimately, the decision to go back to her parents’ home turned out to be the best one she could have made.
“My acting coach once again emphasized the significance of acting in my life,” Linda shared.
“The realization that this was my true calling. I had lost sight of it for a while, but this realization brought me back to myself. Before long, I was sending out resumes and auditioning for roles.”
Linda’s Broadway debut took place in 1975 when she assumed the lead role in Ah, Wilderness. Subsequently, this marked the beginning of her television career. Her breakthrough in film came with her role in the 1978 movie Fame. It was four years later that Linda Hunt achieved true stardom.
In a significant cinematic milestone alongside Mel Gibson, Linda portrayed Billy Kwan in The Year of Living Dangerously. The movie’s immense success led to Linda receiving the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making history as the first person to win an Oscar for portraying a cisgender character of the opposite sex.
Since that pivotal moment, Linda’s career has soared. Over the past decade, she has graced the screen in a remarkable 280 episodes, portraying Operations Manager Henrietta “Hetty” Lange and solidifying her status as a bona fide star on NCIS.
While Linda missed season 12 due to COVID-19-related issues, her presence has been somewhat subdued. The possibility of her return to the series remains uncertain, but the latest updates regarding her future are highly promising.
“Linda had received both her vaccines, she was in excellent spirits, and she returned to the set with great enthusiasm,” elaborated R. Scott Gemmill, the showrunner of NCIS.
“She had been away for quite some time and had limited interactions, so she was genuinely thrilled to be back on set. The moment I saw her, she was already discussing plans for the next season. So, I believe that despite the challenges of the past year, she, like the rest of us, is beginning to see a glimmer of hope and feels optimistic about returning to work,” he added.
Linda Hunt’s marriage to her partner Karen Kline is a heartwarming story that began to unfold in the late 1970s. Even though they officially wed in 2008, their relationship had deep roots, having dated for a significant period before tying the knot. Their love story is truly endearing.
It was in 1978 when Karen and Linda first crossed paths. In a conversation with CBS News, Karen mentioned that what struck her most about Linda during their initial meeting was not her stature but rather her distinctive sense of style. Fortunately, Karen can attest to the fact that height is of little consequence.
“I was particularly struck by Linda’s corduroys,” she recalled. Their initial connection has blossomed into a lifelong love affair.
“Karen happens to be six years younger than me, but I generously forgive her for it every day,” Hunt humorously remarked.
Similar to Linda’s NCIS character Hetty, Linda and Karen are not particularly inclined toward a public lifestyle, and like Hetty, fans of the show don’t possess much knowledge about their personal lives. They deliberately maintain a low profile and avoid being photographed together.
However, in a CBS documentary, Linda opened a window into her personal life, allowing viewers to finally meet her wife.
Today, it is known that the couple resides in a magnificent Hollywood residence dating back to 1919. They have chosen not to have biological children but instead share their home with three adopted pets. The couple graciously welcomed the world into their home for a feature article in the Los Angeles Times.
Linda Hunt, the Oscar-winning actress, has amassed a fortune estimated to be around $12 million, and their residence is described as possessing both charm and a unique kind of elegance.
Linda Hunt stands as a genuine source of inspiration for countless individuals. Despite enduring challenges during her early years, including difficult experiences with classmates and a period of returning to her parents’ home when things didn’t go as planned, Linda remained unwavering in her pursuit of her dreams.
Today, it appears that she is thriving in the company of her cherished partner, Karen. We extend our warmest wishes to them for a bright and fulfilling future together.
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