WILLIAM HURT'S SEVERE STAGE FRIGHT (EMBARGOED UNTIL 6 P.M., EDT,

WILLIAM HURT'S SEVERE STAGE FRIGHT (EMBARGOED UNTIL 6 P.M., EDT, OCT. 28)

NEW YORK (Wireless Flash) -- Academy Award winner William Hurt may have no problems as a thespian these days, but there used to be a time when acting on stage made him lip-locked -- literally. The "Broadcast News" star tells the upcoming "Parade" magazine that when he first started acting he suffered from severe stage fright that would force his lips to clamp shut. Hurt says he often had to turn his head away from the audience and pry his mouth open with his fingers just to get his lines out. The actor finally solved his stage fright when he learned a posture alignment method called the "Alexander Technique," which helped him -- in his words -- "unblock my energy." Hurt is now such a big fan of the stage fright-stopping method that he's put together a video tape touting the technique.