As fans celebrate “Happy Birthday Hetty,” the milestone is really about honoring Linda Hunt, who turned 80 and remains one of television’s most unforgettable presences. Best known for portraying Henrietta “Hetty” Lange on NCIS: Los Angeles, Hunt brought intelligence, wit, and authority to a character who never needed to raise her voice to command a room.
Recently spotted in Los Angeles during a rare public outing, Hunt appeared relaxed and supported by loved ones, a reminder of how fiercely private she has always been. Dressed casually and accompanied by her wife, Karen Kline, the actress embodied the grounded authenticity that fans admire both on and off screen.
From her Oscar-winning performance in The Year of Living Dangerously to her decades-long television legacy, Hunt’s career has been defined by depth rather than spectacle. At 80, she represents resilience, creative courage, and a refusal to be limited by expectations—qualities that made Hetty a legend and Linda Hunt an icon.
