Actor`s page Bonnie Hunt, 22 September 1961, Chicago, Illinois, USA!

Oprah was not somebody who was telling us what to do, she wasn't really teaching us like so many peo...Show more »

Oprah was not somebody who was telling us what to do, she wasn't really teaching us like so many people we see today. With Oprah, she was learning and we were learning with her. And I think that's really was the seed that was planted for all of us to just hang in there with her. Show less «

I don't think of myself as a comedian.

If an executive producer has written a certain line, and an actress says it, and it's not very funny...Show more »

If an executive producer has written a certain line, and an actress says it, and it's not very funny, you don't dare go to them and say, 'I don't like this,' because it will make your life miserable. Show less «

But I'm thrilled to be employed, and to work with all my friends and people that I admire. You're ju...Show more »

But I'm thrilled to be employed, and to work with all my friends and people that I admire. You're just lucky to work - that's the bottom line. Show less «

When a fan holds out Helen's picture for me to autograph, I usually sign it Linda Hunt - just to mak...Show more »

When a fan holds out Helen's picture for me to autograph, I usually sign it Linda Hunt - just to make their heads really crazy. Show less «

There were seven kids in our family. My mom had seven kids in 10 years. So you had to learn how to t...Show more »

There were seven kids in our family. My mom had seven kids in 10 years. So you had to learn how to talk and think fast if you wanted to be heard. Show less «

I would hope to have some of the same audience that Oprah has earned. And I would love to earn that,...Show more »

I would hope to have some of the same audience that Oprah has earned. And I would love to earn that, as well. Show less «

When you're the mom in a big family comedy, you have to get your personality when you can.

I was very down as a teenager, very upset because I had gotten hurt in a car accident. But my dad wa...Show more »

I was very down as a teenager, very upset because I had gotten hurt in a car accident. But my dad was a source of strength. He used to say, 'It's the character with strength that God gives the most challenges to.' I've thought about that so many times in my life when things didn't go right. Show less «

I thought of school as a captive audience. It gave me a chance to work on my material.

I am on the phone with my sisters every day.

Hollywood is what you make it; you have to choose company with care because you become what they are...Show more »

Hollywood is what you make it; you have to choose company with care because you become what they are. Show less «

[when asked if she ever dated David Letterman] We never dated. We slept together, but we never dated...Show more »

[when asked if she ever dated David Letterman] We never dated. We slept together, but we never dated. Show less «

It's not that I don't take TV seriously. I take it very seriously. But I've got my priorities straig...Show more »

It's not that I don't take TV seriously. I take it very seriously. But I've got my priorities straight. Call it my extra gift. Without it, I would be devastated every day in Hollywood. Show less «

If I couldn't be Dick Van Dyke, I wanted to be Art Carney.

The first time I was on 'Johnny Carson,' I remember being so scared, but the minute he started talki...Show more »

The first time I was on 'Johnny Carson,' I remember being so scared, but the minute he started talking to me, I felt a little more comfortable because I just knew he was going to take care of me. Hopefully, I have learned something from watching him for so many years that I can offer that to a guest. Show less «

I don't understand the rewarding of behavior that is less than classy. I don't get it.

I am a storyteller, and I take great pride in the storytelling and a great joy.

When I first landed at Pixar, I felt like I found this creative oasis with John Lasseter... It's wha...Show more »

When I first landed at Pixar, I felt like I found this creative oasis with John Lasseter... It's what you thought Hollywood was going to be. Show less «

I don't have the fear of my looks changing.

I worked at a nursing home though high school... There's a lost appreciation for a generation that h...Show more »

I worked at a nursing home though high school... There's a lost appreciation for a generation that has so much to tell us when we're so full of self-help books and doctors on TV. Show less «

Because I've been so blessed with a background in nursing and spent so much time with patients at a ...Show more »

Because I've been so blessed with a background in nursing and spent so much time with patients at a really intimate, vulnerable time in their lives, the one lesson I've learned is that you never turn down a challenge where you can keep your creative integrity and your heart and soul and your sense of self. Show less «

I have a great affinity for senior citizens.

I loved when my folks would watch The Dean Martin Show (1965).

When you're an actress, you are a part of the storytelling process. You have to do the same thing wh...Show more »

When you're an actress, you are a part of the storytelling process. You have to do the same thing when you direct. Show less «

Chicago has definitely played a part in my character development. I love the essence of the city, th...Show more »

Chicago has definitely played a part in my character development. I love the essence of the city, the personalities of the people, the hard-working spirit that you need to get through the winters. And every neighborhood has its great restaurants and the local hot-dog stand. Show less «

The thing about Pixar, they don't do the 'trend is your friend.' They're really about timeless story...Show more »

The thing about Pixar, they don't do the 'trend is your friend.' They're really about timeless story telling, and that's pretty great. Show less «

I keep saying I won't go back to television, but I do.

My only power is my ability to do something with passion and do it well. It's also something someone...Show more »

My only power is my ability to do something with passion and do it well. It's also something someone cannot take way from me, so it's very valuable. Show less «

Carl Reiner is perfection.

If I've learned one thing in life, it's: Stand for something or you'll fall for anything.

If you're authentic, people smile because they sense there's a piece of themselves there.

Everywhere I go, people think I'm Helen Hunt.

To have children on the set, you realize that if a 10-year-old can do it, who are you kidding? It hu...Show more »

To have children on the set, you realize that if a 10-year-old can do it, who are you kidding? It humbles you. Show less «

I think what happens is that some writers, who are so great in television or whatever, once they bec...Show more »

I think what happens is that some writers, who are so great in television or whatever, once they become successful, they get out of the loop of real life. It's real hard to draw on something to write. Show less «

Would I like to be the lead girl? Who wouldn't?

All my brothers and sisters are really witty, and I would just sit back and enjoy them.

I don't know if I realized that I was funny, but I realized how healing and important humor was in m...Show more »

I don't know if I realized that I was funny, but I realized how healing and important humor was in my childhood. Show less «

When the Pixar people call, you jump at the opportunity.

I'm right on the edge of getting another movie. It's between me and a famous person. The studio said...Show more »

I'm right on the edge of getting another movie. It's between me and a famous person. The studio said they're thinking about going with somebody with a name. I said, 'That's great! Because I have one!' Show less «

Everyone hopes to get a fall slot, but I'm just happy to get on the air.

When I was in high school, I hid in the back seat of an old boyfriend's car when he was out with ano...Show more »

When I was in high school, I hid in the back seat of an old boyfriend's car when he was out with another girl. He finally found me, but not until after he had made out with her for an hour. Show less «

I was so angry at God for taking my father from me that I marched up to my mother before the funeral...Show more »

I was so angry at God for taking my father from me that I marched up to my mother before the funeral and told her I was going to quit nursing school. I just wanted to stop living. Show less «

My dad was a man of great wisdom in his short time here.

I lived in an apartment near Wrigley Field.

Barry Levinson saw me on a tape and put me in Rain Man (1988) as the waitress who dropped the toothp...Show more »

Barry Levinson saw me on a tape and put me in Rain Man (1988) as the waitress who dropped the toothpicks. The scene was talked about a lot. Then, all of a sudden, I started to get more auditions Show less «

You gain a certain maturity from being a nurse in a cancer ward.

I don't have the fear I won't be able to think of something else to write. It's what I do.

I was a good kid.

In my neighborhood growing up, 8, 10,12 kids were the norm. Those stay-at-home moms would handle so ...Show more »

In my neighborhood growing up, 8, 10,12 kids were the norm. Those stay-at-home moms would handle so much physically and emotionally. Even in my early teens, I could tell those ladies were something. Show less «

I wanted to be a story teller so badly.

Over the years, if you look at the films of people like Billy Wilder, Preston Sturges, Frank Capra, ...Show more »

Over the years, if you look at the films of people like Billy Wilder, Preston Sturges, Frank Capra, their supporting characters, even if it's a doorman with two lines, always seem three-dimensional. To me, that's a sign of good storytelling. Show less «

I've been so fortunate in my career and my own life just to have all these opportunities, and the ta...Show more »

I've been so fortunate in my career and my own life just to have all these opportunities, and the talk show has always been one of my favorite formats. Show less «

I like regular meals and restaurants that will adapt things to your taste. Not a place where they ro...Show more »

I like regular meals and restaurants that will adapt things to your taste. Not a place where they roll their eyes if you want the sauce on the side. Show less «

I won't wear fur-never, ever. I'm an animal lover. I wouldn't even wear faux fur. I prefer to go the...Show more »

I won't wear fur-never, ever. I'm an animal lover. I wouldn't even wear faux fur. I prefer to go the cheap route and not shave my legs. Show less «

[on being one of seven children] It's great because when you go home you're the person you were in s...Show more »

[on being one of seven children] It's great because when you go home you're the person you were in sixth grade! Show less «

I'm trying to be truthful.

Improvisation, if you play it at the top of your intelligence, leads to a kind of truth that people ...Show more »

Improvisation, if you play it at the top of your intelligence, leads to a kind of truth that people find really accessible. Show less «

Anything Pixar does, you know, I really just am in awe of them and thrilled to be included in anythi...Show more »

Anything Pixar does, you know, I really just am in awe of them and thrilled to be included in anything they do. Show less «

I only have one job, and that's being a storyteller.

Everybody knows when you're a struggling family; you don't really know it when you're a kid. But you...Show more »

Everybody knows when you're a struggling family; you don't really know it when you're a kid. But you do know the difference between stress and moments of relief where there's, like, this happiness. Show less «

I don't think this is the end of Oprah, it's only the beginning. I have a feeling that she'll probab...Show more »

I don't think this is the end of Oprah, it's only the beginning. I have a feeling that she'll probably have her own station, and continue to do what she does. Show less «

Restaurants in Chicago are seldom disappointing.

I thought of Second City as just the greatest therapeutic job anybody could ever dream of having.

I'm a blue-collar Chicago girl raised on wonderful movies my mom took us to, ones that had a lot of ...Show more »

I'm a blue-collar Chicago girl raised on wonderful movies my mom took us to, ones that had a lot of heart. Show less «

I don't write punch lines.

What kind of woman irons her husband's sheets? Even the clothes I wear, I just throw 'em in the drye...Show more »

What kind of woman irons her husband's sheets? Even the clothes I wear, I just throw 'em in the dryer with some golf balls. Show less «

My home is in Chicago, but I have an apartment in Los Angeles.

I love talking to people and finding out their opinion.

When you fail by your own standards, it's a form of success.

There's nothing funnier than religion. Try explaining it to a kid. I had it all wrong when I was a k...Show more »

There's nothing funnier than religion. Try explaining it to a kid. I had it all wrong when I was a kid. Show less «

I think you have to see the high highs and the low lows to get to the core of what makes us tick as ...Show more »

I think you have to see the high highs and the low lows to get to the core of what makes us tick as people. Show less «

I love writing.

I have spent the last 10 years of my life alone. In that time, I have discovered myself. I figured o...Show more »

I have spent the last 10 years of my life alone. In that time, I have discovered myself. I figured out what I want out of my life. If the right person comes along who has all the qualities I seek for in my future husband, I will definitely consider marrying him. Show less «

I remember, when I was 7, my dad found a pregnant dog on the railroad track one day and brought her ...Show more »

I remember, when I was 7, my dad found a pregnant dog on the railroad track one day and brought her home. So my mom explained about how this dog was married but that her husband had passed away - she didn't want me to even think that a dog could have babies without being married. Show less «

Humor is very healing.

Not only do people stop me on the street to say, 'We're walking, we're walking', but I have actually...Show more »

Not only do people stop me on the street to say, 'We're walking, we're walking', but I have actually been in restaurants where the hostess was saying it to customers. Show less «

I still have my bad days when I think I'm not getting everything I deserve. But those pass quickly o...Show more »

I still have my bad days when I think I'm not getting everything I deserve. But those pass quickly once my mother gets on the phone and says, 'listen, we used to eat rocks and walk 80 miles a day to school'. Show less «

I live in this apartment building, and everybody who lives there thinks of me as a housewife. People...Show more »

I live in this apartment building, and everybody who lives there thinks of me as a housewife. People drop their babies off with me. Or I get notes: 'I'm going to be gone for three days. The keys are under the mat; take care of the cats.' Because they all think I'm home all the time. Show less «

My mother gets told, 'Oh, you're so lucky that your daughters are doing so well.' She never corrects...Show more »

My mother gets told, 'Oh, you're so lucky that your daughters are doing so well.' She never corrects anybody when they assume Helen ('Helen Hunt') is her daughter. Show less «

I'm from an Irish Catholic family.

I grew up in a working-class neighborhood, so there was always a sense of struggle, but we had hope.

Bonnie Hunt

Bonnie Hunt'S roles