The actor Ethan Hawke is beyond jealous of: “I bet it’s how musicians feel about Miles Davis”
Every few years, a new cohort of young actors emerge from the woodwork, armed with a desire to conquer Hollywood and rise the ranks so that they can sit alongside their own cinematic idols. In the late 1980s, Ethan Hawke emerged as Todd in Dead Poet’s Society, a shy character who goes through a deep transformation over the course of the film. Beginning as a shy student, Hawke allows his character to grow and metamorphosize, demonstrating his impressive acting skills from a young age.
As he grew older, he earned more roles in movies that earned significant acclaim, like Reality Bites and Before Sunrise, with the latter remaining one of his most iconic and unforgettable roles. As Jesse Wallace, a spontaneous American who asks a stranger named Celine (Julie Delpy) to spend the evening walking around Vienna with him, he is charming and witty. The pair’s natural chemistry helps to make the film feel incredibly realistic and effortlessly romantic, and he subsequently reprised his role in 2004’s Before Sunset and 2013’s Before Midnight.
Hawke has worked with the director of the Before trilogy, Richard Linklater, several times. He notably appeared in Boyhood, a film that spanned years as the filmmaker shot scenes in real-time while the main character, Mason, grew up. Alongside his various other collaborations with Linklater, Hawke has proved his versatility by starring in everything from horror movies like Sinister and The Purge, action dramas like The Magnificent Seven and The Northman, to thrillers such as First Reformed and Training Day.
Despite his successful career as an actor – he has received four Academy Award nominations – he still finds himself intimidated or insecure around certain stars he believes are better than him. Even if you’re a Hollywood star, imposter syndrome seems common; it’s an incredibly competitive industry. Talking to The Film Stage, Hawke admitted that there is an actor who makes him experience a certain feeling that is “beyond jealousy”.
He revealed: “I think sometimes I’ve watched Daniel Day-Lewis. It’s somewhere beyond jealousy where you’re like… I bet it’s how musicians feel about Miles Davis or something. Sometimes there are a couple people in a generation who are just playing a slightly more sophisticated game.”
Day-Lewis is one of the finest stars of his generation, and while he is over a decade older than Hawke, the pair rose to prominence around a similar time. Of course, it is natural for Hawke to feel a sense of awe around Day-Lewis. He is such a heralded actor who has rarely made a misstep in his career, earning multiple Academy Awards and giving breathtaking performances that are hard to shake.
From his powerful turn as Christy Brown in My Left Foot or his searing performance as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood – how can you walk away from one of his movies without being deeply amazed?
Hawke and Day-Lewis have never worked together before, but Hawke has previously weighed in on the method acting debate – something Day-Lewis is known for. While he believes that much method acting is “selfish” and rather extreme, he admitted to IndieWire, “The longevity and genius of Daniel Day-Lewis’ career proves that there’s method to his madness.”
