She plays a hard-charging executive on the award-winning series Hacks. But at home, Hunt is as low-key as it gets, meditating daily, going for long walks with her dog and enjoying her “lovely” relationship with actor Jeffrey Nordling.
ast year, Helen Hunt attended the Vanity Fair Oscars party in Beverly Hills, wearing a stunning, coral-colored Christian Siriano halter dress and a pair of to-die-for open-toe heels. Walking the red carpet, she looked the very picture of a glamorous star, one who has won an Academy Award, four Golden Globes and four Emmys.
Inside the party, however, Hunt took on a different role: that of a woman who could not wait to kick off her shoes. “I was like, ‘This has to be done. I have to be done now—I can’t walk!,’” she recalls. “I cannot walk. I cannot walk to get my drink at the bar or my In-N-Out Burger, which they serve. There has to be a new ethos about women and shoes. I want them to invent a new way to do it without hurting your feet!”
It sounds like the kind of demand you’d hear from Winnie Landell, the ruthless, no-holds-barred network executive Hunt plays on the HBO Max series Hacks. But while Hunt says it’s been “so fun” playing “the alpha person” alongside formidable female co-stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder—not to mention getting to trash-talk opponents on a pickleball court—in real life, she has little in common with her character.
For one thing, she isn’t that into pickleball. (Hunt prefers yoga and taking long walks with her three-legged rescue dog, Emma.) For another, she knows how to practice restraint, as evidenced by her enviable approach to eating—”I’m never going to go down a sugar rabbit hole, because I immediately feel anxious and weepy,” she says—not to mention being stuck in traffic. “I usually let people [cut] in,” she admits.
And even though Hunt has enjoyed the kind of Hollywood success—think mega-hit movies like Twister and Castaway—that could turn an actress into a diva, when it’s pointed out during this Zoom interview that her Emmys are visible at the very top of a bookshelf behind her in the office of her Los Angeles home, she immediately adjusts the computer screen so they’re out of frame. “I didn’t mean for that,” she says apologetically. “It’s a bit overkill.”
This discreet, laid-back vibe infuses most aspects of Hunt’s life. She meditates daily, takes college literature classes as an antidote to Instagram scrolling and is visibly thrilled to call herself a “super-fan on the sidelines” for the band Widemouth, which is fronted by her daughter, Makena Carnahan, 21 (whose father is Hunt’s ex Matthew Carnahan).
Then there’s her “lovely” relationship with Big Little Lies actor Jeffrey Nordling, 63, a former flame she reconnected with a few years ago. “We dated in 1988!” she reveals. “I’ve never really talked about that. And I always thought he was lovely and sweet and talented and dreamy. We both had very different lives for decades, and then, in some crazy way, found each other again.”
Having survived blockbuster-level fame—as well as the relentless body shaming that actresses of her generation endured, as Demi Moore talked about when promoting The Substance last year—it’s clear Hunt has made deliberate choices to prioritize her mental and emotional well-being. When asked what she loves most about being this age—she turns 62 on June 15—she replies, “that when I get really upset about something, or worried about something, or anxious about something, I have tools. I have tools to come back and get a bigger view. I don’t think I had those when I was younger.”
‘I’ve Done Work on Myself’
Hunt grew up in Southern California as part of a showbiz family: both her father and uncle were directors, and her mother was a photographer. She started acting in elementary school and, by the 1980s, was part of a group of rising stars—including Sarah Jessica Parker (her co-star in 1985’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun), Matthew Broderick (1987’s Project X) and Jodie Foster (1988’s Stealing Home)—who have since become household names. (You can watch what she has to say about these early roles and others here.)
But her career really took off in 1992, when she was cast alongside Paul Reiser in the NBC sitcom Mad About You. Suddenly, Hunt found herself juggling multiple projects—including her Oscar-winning turn in As Good as it Gets, opposite Jack Nicholson—even as her health suffered. “I was just, like, pushing myself with no thought of, ‘Well, maybe it’s too much,’” she recalls. “My body went, ‘It’s too much.’”
That’s when a friend first suggested she try meditation. “I went, ‘Oh, right.’ I took a class when I was 18 and thought it would change my life and then blew it off,” she says. “But pain is a really good motivator.” She has now maintained a daily, 20-minute practice for more than three decades. “Just showing up and doing it, over time, I think it matters,” she says. “For me, it’s not even like I want to do it to feel good. Now I have to do it to not feel bad!”
Hunt also made a conscious effort to release herself from the intense—and intensely cruel—body shaming that celebrity tabloids routinely subjected actresses to during the ’90s and early aughts. “It felt impossible not to internalize the way you’re supposed to look,” Hunt reveals. “And [there was] a certain amount of misery and shame around not looking exactly that way.”
At some point, however, “I realized, ‘This could quietly ruin your whole life,’” Hunt says, adding that she rarely talks about this aspect of her Hollywood experience. “I made a decision: I’m not playing. Not gonna [let it] take up a lot of space in my mind.” Notes her longtime friend and Mad About Your co-star Paul Reiser, “She has always been terrifically centered and forthright about setting up boundaries.”
She does, however, credit the book, The Only Diet There Is, by spiritual leader Sondra Ray, for helping her develop a healthy relationship with food. “What I took from it,” she shares, “is eat what you want and love every bite, period.”
By the time Hunt became a mother in 2004, just a month shy of her 40th birthday, she felt ready for the challenge of parenting, in part because, “I’ve done work on myself, you know? So hopefully, my daughter got the benefit of that.” Today, Hunt calls her daughter “the coolest person I know,” and prides herself on their close relationship; in fact, when Hunt and Carnahan split in 2017 after some 16 years, it was Makena who encouraged her mother to look for love again. “The sentence was, ‘You should date someone hot,’” Hunt recalls. “I mentioned [Nordling], and we had mutual friends, and we had breakfast.” They’ve been together ever since.
Moving Forward—And Looking Back
Hunt doesn’t take her good fortune for granted, especially knowing that roles for women of a certain age can be hard to find. “When you’re working, the business is fine, and when you’re not, it’s horrible,” she admits. “I always tell friends who have different professions: ‘You know, that really unsettling thing that happens every 10 years or so where you have to find a new job? That’s four times a year for actors!’”
To keep anxiety at bay, Hunt says she does “all the usual things—you know, write the gratitude list. Take a walk. Pause before speaking when you possibly can. Have enough alone time. Have enough time reaching out to other people.” She also loves a good laugh, Reiser says, adding that what cracks her up, “are often the silliest, least sophisticated things in the world. And when you get that crying-level laugh out of her… it’s a very good thing.”
She is also focused on creating her own projects; Hunt has previously written and directed two films, including 2014’s Ride, co-starring Luke Wilson and inspired by her passion for surfing, a sport she took up shortly after Makena was born. “I saw a woman in Hawaii who, like, jumped out of the water, picked up her baby, pulled her bathing suit down, nursed, gave her baby back to, presumably, the baby’s dad, and went back to the water,” Hunt recalls. “I was like, I want to be her.”
Pants: LouLou Studio Hamill twill wide-leg pants
Earrings: Ippolita Extra Large Squiggle Hoop Earrings in 18K Gold
Bracelet: Safia Day (try a similar look)
Shoes: Steve Madden (try a similar look)
She also still has aspirations of being a college graduate, a rite of passage she missed out on to pursue her career. “It was always an unchecked box,” she says, explaining her decision to sign up for college-level English courses. “I’m checking it very slowly.” Which is a pace that helps keep her moving steadily forward—the direction she prefers to focus on. “I never look back,” she says. “I just work on the next thing.”
Recently, however, Hunt has been preparing to sell her five-bedroom, Spanish-style home. The process has forced her to go through “bins and piles of old things,” and she’s been coming across lots of memorabilia from her past, including nice notes from people she has worked with, as well as scrapbook-worthy photos from set.
The experience has brought her more joy than she’d expected. “It’s been a good reminder of how much bounty I’ve had in my life—how much work I’ve gotten to do, and how many people I’ve gotten to work with,” she says. “I feel really lucky.”
Iconic ’90s Actress, 62, Stuns Fans With Natural Aging Appearance
The beloved star has opted out of Botox and other cosmetic procedures—and she looks simply stunning.
Helen Hunt, 62, has stunned fans with her natural aging appearance.
Recently, the Mad About You and As Good as It Gets actress opened up about opting out of living up to Hollywood’s beauty standards as she ages.
“It felt impossible not to internalize the way you’re supposed to look,” Hunt said during an interview with Flow Space published on June 4. And [there was] a certain amount of misery and shame around not looking exactly that way.”
The Twister star continued, “I realized, ‘This could quietly ruin your whole life.’ I made a decision: I’m not playing. Not gonna [let it] take up a lot of space in my mind.”
Instead, Hunt follows the approach of eating “what you want and love every bite, period.” She has decided to skip Botox and other cosmetic procedures, opting to age naturally.
The What Women Want actress has shared recent photos of herself on social media, and fans love her refreshing choice.
“You still Beautiful Helen,” one fan declared in the comments of another post.
Another shared, “Helen looking hot af 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥.”
“Helen you are beautiful ❤️🌹,” someone else echoed.
In a snap from March, Hunt debuted bangs, to which one Instagram user declared, “You are beautiful Helen!!! Love your hair ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.”
A different follower commented, “Gorgeous as always, Helen❤️.”
Earlier in 2025, Hunt started in the play Betrayal at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago alongside Robert Sean Leonard and Ian Barford.
On TV, the actress most recently appeared in Hacks. She has two upcoming acting projects, per IMDb, In Cold Light and Tower Stories.
Helen Hunt Radiates in Sleeveless Black Dress for Rare Red Carpet Appearance
The ‘As Good as It Gets’ actress, 60, attended the Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala.
Helen Hunt made a rare appearance on the red carpet this week, and she’s looking as stunning as ever.
The 60-year-old actress was among the attendees at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Thursday, Oct. 5.
The evening was dedicated to celebrating the 20th anniversary of the venue and honoring the architect who designed it, Frank Gehry.
Hunt showed up to the event in downtown L.A. looking radiant, as she donned a sleeveless form-fitting black dress.
The blonde beauty looked elegant as she posed in the midi-length number, which also featured a high-neck halter top style neckline. For accessories, Hunt added some simple bracelets and a pair of black platform heels.
The Twister actress wasn’t the only big name on the guest list for Thursday’s event, as other notable attendees included Gehry, Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz, jazz musician Herbie Hancock and Los Angeles Philharmonic director, Gustavo Dudamel.
Hunt was also photographed alongside her good friend Jeffrey Nordling, 61, at the event, with the tight-knit duo even holding hands for a portion of the photo-op.
Hunt also posed with the Big Little Lies actor for a series of selfies shared to her Instagram Story after the event, including one snap of the pair standing in front of the giant “Walt Disney Concert Hall” sign.
“Incredible to see @gustavodudamel honor #frankgehry tonight,” the As Good as It Gets star wrote on the first pic, while the second photo showed her and Nordling smiling for a selfie from inside the event.
Helen Hunt on why she’s rejecting Hollywood beauty standards
Helen Hunt may be Hollywood royalty, but she’s no beauty queen.
The Oscar-winning actress, 61, opened up about the inner turmoil she’s experienced in the entertainment industry due to Hollywood’s intense beauty standards in a June cover story for Flow Space.
Hunt, best known for her roles in the sitcom “Mad About You” and acclaimed dramas “As Good as It Gets” and “Twister,” rose to fame in the 1990s when celebrity tabloids routinely scrutinized stars’ physical appearance.
“It felt impossible not to internalize the way you’re supposed to look,” Hunt reflected. “And (there was) a certain amount of misery and shame around not looking exactly that way.”
While Hunt rarely discusses the image pressures of being in Hollywood, she said she eventually reached a turning point. “I realized, ‘This could quietly ruin your whole life.’ I made a decision: I’m not playing. Not going to (let it) take up a lot of space in my mind,” she said.
Hunt added that the self-help book “The Only Diet There Is” by Sondra Ray was helpful in shifting her perspective on food and body image. “What I took from it is eat what you want and love every bite, period,” she said.
The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress isn’t the only female veteran to get candid on rejecting beauty standards. “Baywatch” alum Pamela Anderson and actress Justine Bateman have spoken out about embracing aging and stepping out in makeup-free looks.
In a 2023 interview with “60 Minutes Australia,” Bateman, who’d become the subject of online commentary over her “old” looks, defended her aged appearance and said cosmetic procedures “would erase” the authority she’s gained over the years.
“I like feeling that I am a different person now than I was when I was 20,” Bateman said at the time. “I like looking in the mirror and seeing that evidence. … I think my face represents who I am. I like it.”
Helen Hunt Opens Up About Feeling ‘Misery and Shame’ Because of Hollywood Beauty Standards
Hunt credits one book for helping her heal her relationship with food
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Helen Hunt is divorcing herself from the pressures of Hollywood.
The Hacks actress, 62, talked about the pressures that comes with being a part of the entertainment industry, and revealed in an interview with Flow Space that not having her mental wellbeing affected by the demands of her job has taken work.
“It felt impossible not to internalize the way you’re supposed to look,” Hunt told the outlet, “And [there was] a certain amount of misery and shame around not looking exactly that way.”
Though Hunt noted that she rarely ever likes talking about that aspect of her Hollywood experience, she put her foot down in order to prevent the pressure from getting to her.
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“I realized, ‘This could quietly ruin your whole life,’” she continued. “I made a decision: I’m not playing. Not gonna [let it] take up a lot of space in my mind.”
Hunt’s longtime friend and Mad About You costar, Paul Reiser, supported her statement, saying, “She has always been terrifically centered and forthright about setting up boundaries.”
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As part of her health journey, Hunt revealed that she sought guidance through the book, The Only Diet There Is, by spiritual leader Sondra Ray.
“What I took from it,” she added, “is eat what you want and love every bite, period.” Hunt credited the book with helping her heal her relationship with food.
The Twister actress also revealed in the feature that she isn’t falling for uncomfortable heels being a red carpet requirement. The actress reflected on her experience at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty and revealed that her open-toed heels placed her in a lot of pain.
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“I was like, ‘This has to be done. I have to be done now — I can’t walk!’ ” she recalled. “I cannot walk. I cannot walk to get my drink at the bar or my In-N-Out Burger, which they serve. There has to be a new ethos about women and shoes. I want them to invent a new way to do it without hurting your feet!”
Helen Hunt To Receive Taormina Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award
EXCLUSIVE: Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress Helen Hunt will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Italy’s Taormina Film Festival in June.
The celebrated American actress has won one Academy Award, four Golden Globes, and four Emmy Awards across her career. She clinched a Best Actress Academy Award and Golden Globe in 1998 for her performance in romantic comedy As Good As It Gets, opposite Jack Nicholson and Greg Kinnear.
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Other career highlights include her role in the long-running New York couple comedy show Mad About You, for which Hunt won three Golden Globes.
Hunt has also gotten behind the camera with directorial feature credits including Then She Found Me (2007), in which she co-starred opposite Colin Firth, and mother and son surfing world comedy-drama Ride (2014).
“It is an honor for us to welcome Helen Hunt to Taormina. Her presence represents a bridge between great international cinema and the eternal beauty of our land. With her elegance, multifaceted talent and artistic consistency, Helen embodies the values that our Festival wants to celebrate: passion, commitment and love of cinematic storytelling,” said Tiziana Rocca, Artistic Director of Taormina Film Festival.
“The Lifetime Achievement Award is a heartfelt and well-deserved tribute to an artist capable of inspiring generations of viewers and colleagues.”
The award ceremony will take place during a gala evening in Taormina’s Teatro Antica. Hunt joins a a raft of previously announced honorees for this year’s edition include Martin Scorsese, Michael Douglas and Catherine Deneuve.
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Taormina Film Festival is an initiative organized by Fondazione Taormina Arte Sicilia, directly promoted by the Sicily Region’s Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment, with the support of the MiC, Ministry of Culture – General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual.
The 71st edition of the Taormina Film Festival runs from June 10 to 14.
Helen Hunt Stuns In Bikini At 62, Rejecting Hollywood’s Standards
Helen Hunt was recently seen at the beach in Italy, wearing a yellow bikini top and green floral bottoms. The retro-style swimsuit suited her well as she stepped into the sea with a calm, confident look. At 62, she didn’t seem focused on looking youthful and ageless — she just looked like herself.
The pictures were taken shortly after she received a lifetime achievement award at the Taormina Film Festival. While others praised her career, many fans couldn’t stop talking about how comfortable and natural she looked in her own skin. For an actress who once felt pressure to meet impossible beauty standards, this moment was special to her.
Helen Hunt stuns in bikini at 62 years old
Helen Hunt has been open about the toll Hollywood’s beauty standards took on her. Early in her career, she often felt inadequate and said she experienced “misery and shame” because she didn’t match the narrow ideal of beauty. “It felt impossible not to internalize the way you’re supposed to look,” she shared in an interview.
But over time, Hunt made a shift. She stopped letting those standards control her mindset or her choices. “I realized, ‘This could quietly ruin your whole life.’ I made a decision: I’m not playing,” she said. She also mentioned how the book, The Only Diet There Is, by Sondra Ray helped her see things differently. Instead of chasing diets or looks, the book encouraged her to eat what she wanted and enjoy it without guilt. That mindset helped her move away from the obsession with the image that often surrounds women in the spotlight.
Helen Hunt, Justine Bateman, and Pamela Anderson have embraced aging
Apart from Helen, other actresses, such as Justine Bateman and Pamela Anderson, have also pushed back against the pressure to “fix” their looks as they age. Bateman, known for her role in Family Ties, said she actually likes seeing age on her face — it shows the life she’s lived. Anderson, once the face of Baywatch, made headlines when she walked red carpets makeup-free.
In an industry where many still feel forced to look young to stay relevant, Hunt is setting a new kind of example. Fortunately, her career speaks for itself, as she has worked on huge projects like Mad About You, Twister, As Good As It Gets, and most recently, Hacks.
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