Oscar winner Helen Hunt brings star power to surprise stop at Planet Comicon Kansas City

Photo Courtesy of John Russo

When Planet Comicon kicks off next weekend in KC, there will be plenty of marquee stars on the roster—everyone from the iconic Ann-Margaret to boy band heartthrob A.J. McLean. 

And then there’s actress/director Helen Hunt.

In terms of stratospheric career achievements, her accolades have accolades. 

When it was announced—at the 11th hour, no less—that the Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner was appearing next Friday and Saturday, fans immediately started buzzing. Given that Hunt is appearing in a play in nearby Chicago, she was excited to visit KC’s annual pop culture convention.

“It is kind of last minute,” says Hunt jokingly. “I hope people show up, or else I’ll just be sitting there.”

While most Americans are familiar with Hunt’s sitcom work on Mad About You and the acclaimed dramatic film As Good As It Gets, it was really 1996’s action/disaster/rom-com/horror film Twister that cemented her box office fandom. 

During our chat, Hunt pinged and ponged through her endless IMDB rundown. She also disclosed a propensity for caffeine and why she’s eager to someday work with Bradley Cooper (among others). 

The Pitch: Fun fact—I met you thirty years ago this year. I used to work at a TV station in Des Moines, Iowa and I bumped into you, I think, downtown when you were shooting Twister.

Helen Hunt: My goodness! We had been in Norman, Oklahoma, for months, so your downtown seemed like I was in Times Square. Very exciting.

Speaking of Twister, please tell me people come up to you and just say, “COW!” I know I would do that.

Photo Courtesy of Planet Comicon

More than that, I’ve had people come up dressed as a cow and want to take a picture with me. It’s beyond saying it. It’s a whole thing. 

Could “Cow!” be your legacy?

Well, I hope that’s not the only legacy, but if it is, so be it.

Hey, forget Kevin Bacon! The game everyone should be playing is One Degree of Helen Hunt. You’ve starred alongside everyone, but who is still on your to-do list?

My big person, my number one wish, was Maggie Smith, and now she’s left us. So, that’s just going to have to be a dream that I hold dear that never came true. 

But if I just think about this past year’s movies—The Brutalist was so incredible. And Sean Baker, who made Anora, was so wonderful. And I thought Baby Girl was really good. Nicole Kidman is always fabulous, and that director was wonderful. So, there are filmmakers out there who I would love to invite me to come and work with them.

And what about Bradley Cooper? I didn’t realize he was also near the top of your list. I’ve heard you mention him before. 

You know, I just showed my daughter Silver Linings Playbook and remembered how great he is in it. And then I saw his movie Maestro a few years ago and he’s really talented. 

Award season just wrapped up. Do you have any favorite stories or funny memories about being at the Oscars, the Emmys, or the Golden Globes? I mean, you’ve won ‘em all. 

I did win a whole bunch of them. You know, it’s not like the most relaxing night I’ve ever had. I actually was nominated twice. I was nominated for the movie The Sessions, and that was really exciting because it was a little movie. So, when the Oscars nominated me, it sort of shined a light on it. That’s when it’s really fun, and that’s what happened with the Anora. 

This is a little movie that could have come and gone, except it didn’t because the filmmaker is so stellar, and everybody he worked with was so wonderful. It’s exciting that your work gets talked about, and, hopefully, more people see it. I will not say that it’s the most mellow night you’ll ever have in your life.

When it was announced this week that you were coming to Planet Comicon, Kansas City collectively lost their minds. What’s the best part about mingling with your fans?

Honestly, I’ve stayed pretty far away from that part of my life. So, getting to just be, ‘Oh, what I’ve been doing my whole life actually has mattered to people!’—That’s really a lovely, lovely thing.

Can we talk about your career trajectory? Early on, was there a certain point, a certain show or movie, that really propelled you along? Part of me wants to say Girls Just Want to Have Fun because that film was my jam. 

I think you were in a small but mighty tribe on that. I mean, Mad About You was when it really felt like it changed. I feel very lucky to not have been in a big hit show as a young person. 

I’ve been working since I was very young. And I feel, as much as I wanted all those parts that I auditioned for as a younger person, I might have been spared having to convince people that I could actually do other things. I was part of that moment where it used to be, if you were in TV, you never got to do movies. And then Mary Tyler Moore was put in Ordinary People and every actor in the country could feel an earthquake. Like, what? She’s going to be in this fancy, big, dramatic movie? And then it started to happen. It was me, and George Clooney, and Woody Harrelson, and Michael J Fox. Suddenly, being in a TV show didn’t keep you from getting a big part in a big movie. And I felt really happy that I got to be part of that group.

Photo Courtesy of Helen Hunt’s Instagram

I read somewhere you’re a Starbucks junkie. Is that still the case? Or what’s your guilty pleasure?

Well, I did have it an hour ago. So, I was going to say not as much anymore, but it’s a lie. My guilty pleasure is caffeine. And I’m doing a play now at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. And it’s like you have to eat at a certain time, and you can’t drink a lot of milk because you’ve got to be able to project. It’s a little bit like being an athlete. So, when we’re done, I’ll miss the play, but I’ll be just taking baths in lattes and cappuccinos. 

What is Helen Hunt binge-watching right this second? 

Okay, I have an answer. I never binge-watch, but I just finished Welcome to Wrexham, which I loved. I loved it! And I watched a season of The Bear and I might watch the next one. But it’s about to be baseball season, so then I don’t watch anything, because I watch every single game. I’ve been watching spring training games. I’m a very big baseball fan. Sorry to the Royals, but I’m a Dodger girl.

Did I also read that you said that you have a movie coming out with Dustin Hoffman? Do tell!

I do with (director) Peter Greenaway. He made a wild movie called The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover a long time ago. He wrote and directed, along with his wife, a movie that Dustin Hoffman and I are in. We shot it in Italy, and we’re still shooting. There’s another day of shooting coming down the pike soon. So, I don’t know when it’ll be out, but it’ll be a trip. I’ll tell you that much. 

Has anybody left you starstruck? Maybe Dustin? Or Jack Nicholson?

I just grew up with their performances and they helped shape the fact that I wanted to do this. But both of them grew up like I grew up, which is sitting in little, tiny, crappy theaters, studying acting. Acting is funny. It’s not like music where you can record it and point to it and say, “There, I did that.” And it’s not like a painting where you can hold it up and say, “I painted that.” It’s this invisible art form. But it still does take a lot of training to do it well. With both Dustin and Jack Nicholson, I felt like I had two pals from acting class I got to work with, so that was exciting.

Finally, I’m psyched to meet you at Planet Comicon, but how did that come about? And, more importantly, are you gonna fawn over AJ McLean from The Backstreet Boys? 

Ha! I’m gonna try to control myself. I was invited, and I’ve done this a couple times, often accompanied by a screening of sometimes Twister, which is fun. And I’m in Chicago anyway, so I’m close, and I just accepted the invitation, so I’ll be there.

Planet Comicon opens to the public on Friday, March 21 at 1 p.m. at Bartle Hall.

Interview edited for content and clarity.