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With his smoky voice, wiry frame and pinched countenance, John Hurt is the living example of an actor overcoming his physical limitations to project brilliantly his characters' inner turmoil. The son of a clergyman, Hurt was training to be a painter at St. Martin's School Of Art when he became interested in acting and joined RADA. His first Oscar nomination came for his supporting role in Alan Parker's Midnight Express after a decade of quality work in theatre and television. After his portrayal of John Merrick in The Elephant Man, the world was in no doubt of his chameleon skills. Alien, 1984, Scandal and Rob Roy are a few highlights of a career that has not included even one ill-chosen role or off-key performance.
