Gale Anne Hurd


Gale Anne Hurd is an American film and television producer, the founder of Valhalla Entertainment, and a former recording secretary for the Producers Guild of America. Her notable works include The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Armageddon, Mankiller and The Walking Dead.

Early life

Gale Anne Hurd was born on October 25, 1955, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Lolita and Frank E. Hurd, an investor. She grew up in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California and graduated from Palm Springs High School in 1973. Hurd attended Stanford University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and communications with a minor in political science in 1977.

Career

Hurd began her career in the entertainment industry as an executive assistant to Roger Corman at New World Pictures. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming involved in various aspects of production, and became the head of marketing. After co-producing her first film for Corman, Smokey Bites the Dust, she launched her own production company in 1982.
Hurd's breakthrough came when she produced and co-wrote the 1984 science fiction film The Terminator, directed by James Cameron. The film was a commercial success and established Hurd as a prominent producer in Hollywood. The Terminator is Hurd's only real writing credit in her entire career. She subsequently worked only as a producer or executive producer. She continued her collaboration with Cameron on Aliens and The Abyss, both of which were successes at the box office.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hurd produced a variety of successful films including Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which became the second Terminator film to be added to the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress in 2024, The Ghost and the Darkness and Armageddon. Terminator 2 and Armageddon both claimed the top spots at the worldwide box office in their respective release years, solidifying Hurd's enduring influence in the realm of blockbuster cinema. Her additional major studio credits in the 90s and 00s include Tremors, The Waterdance, Hulk, The Punisher, Æon Flux, Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk] and many others. She also expanded into television with titles such as Falling Water.
In 2010, Hurd became an executive producer for the AMC television series The Walking Dead. The show, based on the comic book series of the same name, became a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest-rated series in cable television history. Hurd’s work on The Walking Dead earned her critical acclaim and numerous awards. In addition, Hurd is an executive producer for all of the series' spin-offs including Fear The Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon, The Ones Who Live and Dead City.
Hurd has also produced several documentaries including three PBS documentaries focused on Native Americans in partnership with Cherokee director, Valerie Red-Horse Mohl: True Whispers: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers and Choctaw Code Talkers as well as Mankiller, celebrating the life of the late Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Hurd's most recent documentary is The YouTube Effect, directed by Alex Winter, which delves into YouTube, a site with humble origins that has gone on to change how we experience the world. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released in the US theatrically by Alamo Drafthouse Films.

Personal life

In 1985, Hurd married James Cameron following their collaboration on The Terminator. They divorced in 1989. Hurd then married Brian De Palma; the marriage later ended in divorce. They have one daughter, Lolita De Palma.

Philanthropy and Advocacy

Hurd is an active philanthropist and advocate for various causes. She is involved with organizations such as Women In Film, The Smithsonian Institution, and [Producers Guild of America|The Producers Guild of America], where she has served on the board of directors.
Hurd has shared her expertise and perspectives at panels hosted by the US Embassies in Peru, Iceland, Georgia, Estonia, North Macedonia and Zimbabwe, among others. She has also addressed audiences at the EuroImages Conference in Helsinki, Finland, as well as in Tallinn, Estonia at the Black Nights Film Festival, and the AVP/Summit in Trieste, Italy, representing Women in Film & Television International. She remains active with several organizations and groups, underscoring her dedication to various causes. These include the League of Conservation Voters, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the McCain Institute.

Filmography

Films

She was producer for all films unless otherwise noted.
YearFilmCreditNotes
1981Smokey Bites the DustCo-producer
1984The TerminatorProducer, screenwriter
1986Aliens
1988Bad Dreams
1988Alien Nation
1989The Abyss-
1990DowntownExecutive producer
1990TremorsExecutive producer
1991Terminator 2: Judgment DayExecutive producer
1992The Waterdance
1992Raising Cain
1994No Escape
1994Safe Passage
1995Bedtime StoryShort film
1996The Ghost and the Darkness
1997The Relic
1997Dante's Peak
1997Switchback
1998Armageddon
1998Dead Man on Campus
1999Virus
1999Dick
2002Clockstoppers
2002True Whispers
2003Hulk
2003Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesExecutive producer
2004The Punisher
2005Æon Flux
2007Welcome to the JungleDirect-to-video film
2008The Incredible Hulk
2008Punisher: War Zone
2010Choctaw Code Talkers
2013Very Good GirlsExecutive producer
2017MankillerExecutive producer
2018Hell Fest
2022The YouTube Effect

Television

She was executive producer for all films unless otherwise noted.
YearTitleCreditNotes
1991Cast a Deadly SpellProducerTelevision movie
1994Witch HuntProducerTelevision movie
1994The Making of Escape from AbsolomTelevision documentary special
1995SugartimeTelevision movie
2002–2003Adventure Inc.10 episodes
2004The CovenTelevision movie
2005BreadwinnersTelevision movie
2009The Pirate Code: Real PiratesTelevision movie
2010The Wronged ManTelevision movie
2010–2022The Walking Dead177 episodes
2011Last Man StandingTelevision movie
2013HorizonTelevision movie
2015–2022Talking DeadConsulting producer45 episodes
2015–2023Fear the Walking Dead113 episodes
2016Hunters13 episodes
2016–2018Falling Water20 episodes
2017–2018Lore10 episodes
2020–2021The Walking Dead: World Beyond20 episodes
2021The Walking Dead: OriginsConsulting producerDocumerntary, 4 episodes
2022Tales of the Walking Dead6 episodes
2022The Walking Dead: ''The Making of the Final SeasonConsulting producerTelevision documentary special
2023The Walking Dead: Dead City6 episodes
2023–presentThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon12 episodes
2024The Walking Dead: The ReturrnTelevision documentary special
2024The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live''6 episodes

Consultant


Awards and honors

Hurd has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career, including:
YearOrganizationAward
1984Saturn AwardsBest Writing, The Terminator
1992Film Independent Spirit AwardsBest First Feature, The Waterdance
1993Academy of [Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films|Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films]President's Award
1993Saturn AwardsBest Producer
1994Florida Film FestivalEnzian Award for Creative Achievement
1998Women In FilmCrystal Award
2003National Board of ReviewProducer’s Award
2003Taurus World Stunt AwardsAction Movie Producer Award
2004Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror FilmsPresident's Award
2007New York Women in Film & TelevisionMuse Award
2007Charles Fitzsimons AwardService to the Producers Guild
2008TheWIFTS Foundation InternationalVisionary Award
2012Hollywood Walk of FameStar on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2012Motion Picture Sound Editors Filmmakers AwardLifetime Achievement
2013Deauville American Film FestivalCartier Award
2013Athena Film FestivalLaura Ziskin Lifetime Achievement Award
2015Producers GuildDavid O. Selznick Award in Motion Pictures
2015Los Angeles Film FestivalJaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award
2015Society of Camera OperatorsDistinguished Service Award
2015Producers GuildVisionary Award
2016Society of Camera OperatorsLifetime Achievement Award
2017Maoriland Film FestivalBest Documentary Feature, Mankiller
2017Bozeman International Film FestivalJury Award, Mankiller
2017Comic-Con InternationalInkpot Award
2017FangoriaLifetime Achievement Award
2017Tulsa American Film FestivalBest Documentary Feature Film, Mankiller
2017Palm Springs International Film FestivalAudience Award, Best of Fest Selection, Mankiller
2017Rome International Film FestivalBest Documentary Feature, Mankiller
2018ScreamfestCareer Achievement Award
2021Locarno Film FestivalRaimondo Rezzonico Award - Best Independent Producer
2023Visual Effects SocietyLifetime Achievement Award
2024Online Film Critics AssociationLifetime Achievement Award
202558th Sitges Film FestivalWomanInFan Grand Honorary Award