At 60, Helen Hunt Put Acting Career Aside To Prioritize Daughter Who Approves Of Her 'Cool' Partner

Jun 08, 2023

Helen Hunt is a renowned actress known for her roles in film, television and theater. She has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1997 film “As Good as It Gets.” With a career spanning over four decades, Hunt has established herself as a versatile actress capable of portraying complex characters with ease.

Hunt was born on June 15, 1963, in Culver City, California. Her father was a film director, and her mother was a photographer. From a young age, Hunt was exposed to the entertainment industry and developed a keen interest in acting. She attended several schools in the Los Angeles area, including Providence High School, where she began performing in school plays.

Hunt started her career as a child actor, appearing in television shows including “The Swiss Family Robinson” and “The Facts of Life.” In 1983, she landed her first major film role in the horror-comedy "Trancers." However, it was her role in the 1990s sitcom “Mad About You” that brought her widespread recognition and acclaim.

“Mad About You” aired from 1992 to 1999 and starred Hunt and Paul Reiser as a newlywed couple navigating life in New York City. Hunt won four consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance on the show, cementing her status as one of the most talented actresses in television.

While Hunt’s success on television was impressive, she also continued to make a name for herself in film. In 1996, she starred in the blockbuster hit “Twister,” which grossed over $500 million worldwide. The following year, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “As Good as It Gets,” in which she played a single mother and waitress opposite Jack Nicholson’s obsessive-compulsive writer.

Hunt continued to take on challenging roles in film and theater throughout the 2000s and 2010s. She starred in the films “Dr. T and the Women,” “Pay It Forward,” “What Women Want” and “Cast Away,” among others. 

Hunt appeared to fly under the radar for a few years as she focused on her family. Hunt was previously married to actor Hank Azaria, but they divorced after a year of marriage. She then entered a relationship with producer Matthew Carnahan, and they had one daughter, Makena’lei Carnahan, in 2004. The couple split in 2017.

In September 2022, Hunt addressed the mystery of her “disappearance” from Hollywood. She told The Guardian:

“I wrote and directed two movies and starred in them and had a baby. So yeah, I don’t know what to say when people say: ‘What happened?’ That’s a lot. You know, for me, that’s plenty.”

She also told the outlet she wasn’t particularly bothered by the notion that the work she puts in as a mother isn’t as valued by society as how high her star is in Hollywood.

“I’ve been so in deep, deep love and care of this human being that I’ve gotten to mother that I really haven’t been paying attention to what people think about that,” she explained.

She also told PEOPLE that she had no regrets about stepping away from the limelight to “get a life” after becoming a mom. “I fell in love, I had a daughter. It was hard to find a part that was as interesting as watching her grow up,” she said. She added:

“Why go off and pretend to be someone’s mother, or pretend to be someone’s wife, when I finally had the chance to have that experience in my real life?”

These days, the actress is happy to have become “very boring” after scoring immense fame in the 1990s. She told The Guardian, “There are some people who will live more exciting lives and keep going at that level,” but for her, “by the 130th picture of me in my khaki pants with my yoga mat, that picture’s worth nothing!”

The actress continues to work, starring in the television series “Blindspotting.” She has also garnered kudos from fans who have come to love the star’s pared-down style in which she’s not afraid to look her age. Hunt showed off her natural beauty – wrinkles and all – with a car selfie on the way to the season 2 premiere of “Blindspotting” on Apr. 12, 2023. Fans were taken by Hunt’s classy visage and praised her in the comments for keeping it real at 60.

“Thank you for looking real, authentic and gorgeous!!” one comment read, while another said, “Aging is a beautiful thing and so are you!”

Although she faced speculation about having undergone cosmetic surgery after she was involved in a car accident in October 2019. However, the rumors appear to be unfounded, and Hunt continues to radiate a natural and healthy glow.

Hunt also found love again, this time with a former attorney named Steven Tepper. Closer Weekly cited a source as saying Hunt’s daughter approves of the new match and “thinks Steven is cool and she loves that he makes her mom happy.”  

The same goes for Hunt, who was once asked what advice she would give Makena’lei. Hunt responded:

“She doesn’t need my advice. She has a level head and a kind heart and a strong work ethic, so I think the more I keep my mouth shut, the better it will be.” 

What are your thoughts on Helen Hunt’s decision to prioritize being a mother over acting? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to friends and family, too.