A British acting legend replies

John Hurt

Reference date: March 19th





One of the most famous (and most parodied) scenes in movie history is from Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi horror classic "Alien", where one of the crew members gets sick after a meal, goes into convulsions, and has a slimy alien burst right out of his chest cavity.

The actor that played that role (and has recreated it in other films for comic effect) was British legend John Hurt. If that was his only contribution to cinema, he would be remembered forever. However, Mr. Hurt has had a long and distinguished career, from the title role in "The Elephant Man" to his most recent portrayal of a malevolent dictator in "V For Vendetta."

I wrote to Mr. Hurt to compliment him on his performance in that film, and for the body of his work. He was kind enough to send back an autographed photo, with a message included on it where he commented on my career. This is what it read:

To Chris,

Congratulations on your work as an actor.

Enjoy it all and keep it fun.

It's not just for them, it's for you to enjoy!

All the best!

- John Hurt

I sent him a thank you card the next day.