Helen Hunt Timeline

June 15, 1963: Born as Helen Elizabeth Hunt in Culver City, CA to Jane and Gordon Hunt.

1971: Begins to study acting with her dad, who is an acting coach.

1973: Makes TV debut in Pioneer Woman, playing Sarah Sargeant.

1975: Plays Helga Robinson in the TV series Swiss Family Robinson.

1976: Supposedly steals a leotard but never gets charged.

1977: First visit to Hawaii. She continues to go here and years down the road she says of Hawaii: "It's where I feel right. I can write here, think, chill, get a clear head."

June 17, 1977: Makes film debut in Rollecoaster, playing Tracy Calder.

1981: Graduates from Providence High School, Burbank, CA.

1982: Quits UCLA after one year.

Apr. 12, 1985: Plays Lynne Stone in Girls Just Want to Have Fun, with Shannen Doherty and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Oct. 10, 1986: Plays Beth Bodell in Peggy Sue Got Married, with Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey, Sofia Coppola, and Kathleen Turner.

Apr. 17, 1987: Plays Teri in Project X, with Matthew Broderick.

Aug. 26, 1988: Plays Hope Wyatt in Stealing Home, with Jodie Foster.

1992: Plays Jamie Stemple Buchman in the TV series Mad About You.

Sept. 12, 1992: Plays Annie in Mr. Saturday Night, with Billy Crystal and Jerry Lewis.

Apr. 12, 1995: Plays Bev Kilmartin in Kiss of Death, with Nicolas Cage and Samuel L. Jackson.

May 10, 1996: Plays Dr. JoAnne 'Jo' Thornton-Harding in Twister.

Dec. 9, 1997: Plays Carol Connelly in As Good as it Gets, with Cuba Gooding and Jr. Jack Nicholson.

July 17, 1999: Marries Hank Azaria.

Dec. 7, 2000: Plays Kelly Frears in Cast Away, with Tom Hanks.

Dec. 13, 2000: Plays Darcy McGuire in What Women Want, with Mel Gibson and Marisa Tomei.

Dec. 18, 2000: Divorces Hank Azaria.

2000: Begins dating Matthew Carnahan.

Sept. 11, 2001: Watches the Word Trade Center attacks from the top of her New York apartment.

Sept. 14, 2001: For a large fee, she books a private jet for herself and staff and they fly out of Connecticut.

Aug. 5, 2001: Plays Betty Ann Fitzgerald in Curse of the Jade Scorpian, with Woody Allen, Dan Aykroyd, Elizabeth Berkley, and Charlize Theron.

May 13, 2004: Gives birth to daughter Makena' Lei Gordon Carnahan.