Bonnie Hunt (born September 22, 1961) is an American actress and comedian. Her film roles include Rain Man, Beethoven, Beethoven's 2nd, Jumanji, Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile, Cheaper by the Dozen, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, and Red One.
Hunt has done voice work starting with A Bug's Life (1998) and went on to voice characters in multiple animated franchises including Monsters, Inc. (2001–present), Cars (2006–present), Toy Story (2010–present), and Zootopia (2016–present). She starred in Grand and Davis Rules, as well as creating, producing, writing, and starring in The Building, Bonnie, and Life with Bonnie. From 2008 to 2010, she hosted The Bonnie Hunt Show.
Early life
Hunt's father was of Irish and Belgian ancestry and her mother was of Polish descent. She has three older brothers named Patrick, Kevin, and Tom, two older sisters named Cathy and Carol, and a younger sister named Mary.
She was educated in Roman Catholic schools, attending Saint Ferdinand School and Notre Dame High School for Girls in Chicago, and worked part-time as a nurse's aide.
In 1982, Hunt worked as an oncology nurse at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. In 1984, she co-founded an improvisational comedy troupe called An Impulsive Thing. was largely influenced by Hunt's blue-collar Catholic upbringing in Chicago.
Hunt portrayed Alice Newton in Beethoven and Beethoven's 2nd, Sarah Whittle/Madam Serena in Jumanji, and Kate Baker in Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. She portrayed the sister of Renée Zellweger's character in Jerry Maguire and Jan Edgecomb in The Green Mile. She portrayed Grace Bellamy in Loggerheads. She has provided her voice for a total of eight Pixar films: A Bug's Life as Rosie the black widow, Monsters, Inc. as Ms. Flint, Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3 as Sally Carrera, Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 as Dolly, and Monsters University as Karen Graves. In addition, Hunt voiced Bonnie Hopps in the Walt Disney Animation Studios' film, Zootopia, which marked her first non-Pixar animated film, as well as its sequel, Zootopia 2.
The Bonnie Hunt Show
thumb|upright|Hunt in 2006
In 2007, Hunt taped a pilot episode for Telepictures. The pilot was approved and the talk show was created. The Bonnie Hunt Show premiered on September 8, 2008. The set design was a tribute to Dean Martin and on the walls are pictures of historic television personalities, as well as Hunt's family members. The series was inspired by the format of Live with Regis and Kelly, with the host and guests often interacting with the audience. Many of the series' staffers were longtime friends of Hunt from Chicago. The series typically started with an opening monologue followed by guest interviews and games played with the audience. Hunt's mother Alice often appeared in webcasts from her home in Chicago. The Bonnie Hunt Show taped in Culver City, California, and was viewed in 17 of the top 20 US television markets in the United States. In its first year, The Bonnie Hunt Show was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards, for opening theme, hairstyle, and makeup. It won the Gracie Award for "Outstanding Talk Show" in 2009. In 2010, Hunt was nominated for "Outstanding Talk Show Host" at the Daytime Emmy Awards. The final episode aired on May 26, 2010.
Personal life
In 1988, Hunt married investment banker John Murphy. They separated in 2006, and their divorce was officially finalized two years later.
Hunt is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, having not missed an opening day at Wrigley Field since 1977. She was in attendance in Cleveland for the Cubs' historic Game 7 victory during the 2016 World Series.
Hunt is a supporter of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, of which she is an honorary board member.
| Voice
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1984
! scope="row" | American Playhouse
| Foxtrot Dancer
| Episode: "Under the Biltmore Clock"
|-
| 1990
! scope="row" | Grand
| Carol Anne Smithson
| Main role (26 episodes)
|-
| 1991–92
! scope="row" | Davis Rules
| Gwen Davis
| Main role (18 episodes)
|-
| 1993
! scope="row" | The Building
| Bonnie Kennedy
| Lead role; also creator, executive producer, writer
|-
| 1995–96
! scope="row" | Bonnie
| Bonnie Kelly
| Lead role; also co-creator, producer, writer
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1997
! scope="row" | Wheel of Fortune
| Herself
| Played alongside her mother Alice
|-
! scope="row" | Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground
| Fern
| Television film; Vignette: "Fern's Heart of Darkness"
|-
| 2002–04
! scope="row" | Life with Bonnie
| Bonnie Molloy
| Lead role; also co-creator, director, executive producer, writer
|-
| 2006
! scope="row" | Let Go
| Kate Holloway
| Unsold ABC pilot; lead role, also director, executive producer, writer
|-
| 2008–10
! scope="row" | '
| Herself / Host
| Also executive producer, writer
|-
| 2010
! scope="row" | The Life & Times of Tim
| Gabe's Mother
| Voice; 2 episodes
|-
| 2013
! scope="row" | Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
|
| TV film; Director of "Eddie" segment
|-
| 2013-14
! scope="row" | Cars Toons: Tales From Radiator Springs
| Sally Carrera
| Voice; Short films: "Hiccups", "The Radiator Springs 500 1/2"
|-
| 2013–18
! scope="row" | Sofia the First
| Aunt Tilly
| Voice; Recurring role (7 episodes)
|-
| 2018
! scope="row" | Escape at Dannemora
| Catherine Leahy Scott
| Miniseries (7 episodes)
|-
| 2019
! scope="row" | Forky Asks a Question
| Dolly
| Voice; Short film: "What Is a Leader?"
|-
| 2021-24
! scope="row" | Monsters at Work
| Ms. Flint
| Voice; 9 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2022
! scope="row" | Amber Brown
|
| Creator, director, executive producer, writer
|-
! scope="row" | Cars on the Road
| Sally Carrera
| Voice; Short film: "Dino Park"
|-
! scope="row" | Zootopia+
| Bonnie Hopps
| Voice; Short film: "Hopp on Board"
|-
| 2025
! scope="row" | Somebody Feed Phil
| Self
| S8 E4 "Tbilisi"
|-
| 2027
! scope="row" | Cars: Lightning Racers
| Sally Carrera
| Voice; Upcoming series
|}
Video games
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Voice role
|-
| 1998
! scope="row" | A Bug's Life
| Rosie
|-
| 2001
! scope="row" | Monsters, Inc. Scream Team
| rowspan="3" | Ms. Flint
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2002
! scope="row" | Monsters, Inc.
|-
! scope="row" | Monsters, Inc. Scream Arena
|-
| 2006
! scope="row" | Cars
| Sally Carrera
|-
| 2010
! scope="row" | Toy Story 3
| Dolly
|}
Theme park attractions
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Voice Role
|-
| 2012
! scope="row"| Radiator Springs Racers
| Sally Carrera
|}
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Nominated work
! scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Result
|-
| 1995
| Jumanji
| Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
| 1996
| Bonnie
| Viewers for Quality Television Founder's Award
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1999
| rowspan="2" | The Green Mile
| Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Drama
|
|-
| Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2003
| rowspan="6" | Life with Bonnie
| TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy
|
|-
| Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2004
| Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
|
|-
| Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| 2010
| The Bonnie Hunt Show
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host
|
|}
References
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