Linda Hunt has been in show business for many decades. The Academy Award-winning actress has appeared in more than 50 productions, and since 2009 she’s starred as Hetty Lange in the now-classic television show NCIS. Hunt has featured in a total of 280 episodes of NCIS, gradually becoming what many would say is one of the best characters on the show. As it turns out, Hunt isn’t only a great actress, but also a very dedicated wife by all reports.
The 76-year-old has been married to her partner, Karen Kline, for more than ten years – in total, the couple have spent more than 30 years by each other’s side. The truth is that their love story really is quite extraordinary!
Linda Hunt was born on April 2, 1945, in Morristown, New Jersey. She was raised in Connecticut by her parents, Elsie and Raymond Hunt. At an early age, though, when Linda was only half-a-year old, her parents started to worry.
Linda Hunt – early life
Linda’s motor skills weren’t developing at the normal rate, and so her mother and father took her to a hospital in New York to seek help.
What doctors found wasn’t exactly the news Linda’s parents wanted. As The Bulletin reported in 1991, examinations showed she was suffering from a form cretinism – a condition of severely stunted physical and mental growth – which would likely eventually lead to Linda being institutionalized.
Elsie and Raymond, however, were not going to let hope fade. They were determined to support their beloved Linda, and used books and theater to encourage her and help with her development.
By the time Linda started school, her motor skills were pretty much on par with the average child. Sadly she struggled due to her learning difficulties and short stature.