Balancing Act

Academy Award–winning actress Helen Hunt hasn’t been in the spotlight much lately. On May 24, however, Hunt will be in town to speak in the SmartTalk Women’s Lecture Series. We caught up with her by cell phone in Hawaii. She was on a hill overlooking Maui’s Pipeline beach; we were not.

Why did you decide to participate in the SmartTalk series?
I have been gathering with women my whole life, so the opportunity to share some of my experiences with other women was appealing. In whatever way—quilting, having tea, playing bridge, or sitting in an auditorium—when girls circle up and tell secrets to each other, it can be a very powerful thing.

What are you going to talk about?
My own experiences as a woman, how I’ve dealt with imperfections in myself, and one of the great truths in life I’ve discovered: The thing we resist often carries our redemption, or is just what we need. Sometimes, the poison is the cure.

What? Your life isn’t perfect?
We all struggle in one way or another. I struggle with being able to express myself as an artist. I struggle to control things that affect my daughter, and with things I can’t control, and with what it means to have a successful and meaningful life. I think all women struggle with these issues. It’s the balancing act we’re all trying to perfect. 

May 24, 7:30 pm. Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-371-5656, smarttalkwomen.com