Bonnie Hunt

Biography

Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, director, producer, writer, and television host. Her film roles include Rain Man, Beethoven, Beethoven's 2nd, Jumanji, Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Cheaper by the Dozen 2.

Hunt has done voice work in A Bug's Life, Zootopia, and the Monsters, Inc., Cars, and Toy Story franchises. 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.

Bonnie Lee Hunt was born on September 22, 1961, in Chicago, to Robert Edward Hunt, an electrician, and Alice E. Hunt (née Jatczak). Her father was of Irish and Belgian ancestry and her mother is 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 Catholic schools, attending St. Ferdinand Grammar 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. Hunt also performed as a member of Chicago's world-famous Second City, joining in 1986.

In 1988, while a nurse, Hunt auditioned on her lunch break for the role of waitress Sally Dibbs in Rain Man and won it.

In 1988, Hunt married investment banker John Murphy. During her appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman on June 6, 2006, she mentioned that she was single again, implying that she and Murphy had divorced.

Hunt is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, having not missed an opening day at Wrigley Field since 1977. She was in attendance in Cleveland, along with fellow Cubs fans Eddie Vedder, Bill Murray, and John Cusack, for the Cubs' historic Game 7 victory during the 2016 World Series.

She is a supporter of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, of which she is an honorary board member.