Ann Hornaday, the long-tenured and celebrated film critic for The Washington Post, died on Sunday at her home in North Baltimore. She was 66 years old. Her husband, Dennis Greenia, shared with the Baltimore Banner that her death followed a battle with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.
Early Life and Entrance Into Journalism
Hornaday was born on March 9, 1960, in Iowa City, Iowa, and was raised in Des Moines. Pursuing higher education in Massachusetts, she attended Smith College, where she earned a degree in government in 1982.
Following her graduation, Hornaday relocated to New York City to build a career in publishing and writing. In New York, she took on freelance work for magazines such as Premiere and Us. She also contributed to the feminist outlet Ms. Magazine, where she worked as an administrative assistant to co-founder Gloria Steinem.
Distinguished Career as a Film Critic
After completing a journalism fellowship in Athens, Georgia—the location where she met her husband—Hornaday wrote for several daily newspapers across the country. Her resume included tenures at the Austin American-Statesman and The Baltimore Sun before she transitioned to a major national platform.
In 2002, Hornaday was hired by The Washington Post as a film critic, succeeding Rita Kempley. Over the course of more than two decades at the publication, she published hundreds of reviews and became widely recognized for critical writing that remained accessible and unpretentious. Her work garnered significant industry acclaim, culminating in her selection as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2008. Beyond the printed page, Hornaday frequently discussed cinema as a regular guest on WYPR's radio program Midday at the Movies.
Published Works and Final Projects
In addition to her daily reviews, Hornaday authored "Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies," published in 2017. The book served as a practical manual designed to guide moviegoers through the technical crafts of cinema and foster film literacy among everyday audiences.
Hornaday concluded her tenure at The Washington Post in 2025 after accepting a buyout from the organization. Before her passing, she completed another manuscript focusing on the behind-the-scenes production of Alan J. Pakula's 1976 political thriller "All the President's Men."
Hornaday is survived by her husband, Dennis Greenia, her daughters, Victoria and Leila, and her brother, William. Her final book on "All the President's Men" is scheduled for posthumous publication in 2028.
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Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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