During the panel A Conversation with Ethan Hawke on the Entertainment Influencers track, Hawke discussed his most recent film Blaze. He directed, wrote, and produced the film, which is screening at SXSW’s Film Festival.
Born in Austin, Texas, Hawke has been nominated for a Tony and four Academy Awards. He is a novelist, actor, director, and screenwriter, and started his own production company Under the Influence Productions.
Hawke grew up in a home that placed a great value on the arts and, more specifically, the arts’ role in the community. He discussed how he first became interested in acting. “Thirteen-year-olds just want attention. That was true of me,” Hawke commented.
Hawke’s first acting role was in Joe Dante’s Explorers. He talked about the filmmaking process during this film. Dante would screen genre films in his home theater and highlighted their importance. He advised the audience, “you should have no expectations of what you’re going to get back from the world.”
Hawke talked about the start of his collaboration and friendship with director Richard Linklater. His film Slacker resonated with Hawke because it was such a simple idea. He mentioned, “he did it in an amazing way and pulled it off.”
After Hawke attended a rough cut of Dazed and Confused, Linklater went to see one of Hawke’s plays. They got along really well and began discussing Linklater’s Before Sunrise. When Linklater dropped off the script, Hawke believed he had landed the part. However, he found out it was an invitation to an audition. He refrained from giving Linklater notes on the script, but once he got the part he became a large part of the creative process.
Hawke commented, “we were part of the creation of those characters. We are all so different, but we really enjoyed working together.” He also mentioned how Linklater refers to his projects as “our movie” between him and his actors. “This is Rick’s greatest skill set,” Hawke said.
In 2001, Hawke made his directorial debut with Chelsea Walls. He said “the world creates bitterness. The reason I didn’t want to be successful is that it would make it hard to grow.” He explained how directing can be the work of an amateur. In other words, the film is done for love. Hawke mentioned, “it’s important to me, and this is what I love. I don’t need to sell it or need anything in return.”
I was always waiting for the perfect moment, and the perfect moment never comes. Everything doesn’t have to go well to have a good experience. Sometimes you have to try. So much of life is trying.
Hawke talked about how the universe decides what gets made and what gets done. Linklater’s Boyhood is prime example of this. He commented, “it seemed vintage Rick. He’s always pushing the art form. He used time as the clay and portrait of fatherhood.” He described how the film approached things in an unsuperficial manner. In addition, he was able to watch young people grow up and become artists. He found great joy in that experience. Hawk described Linklater’s methodology as taking other people’s passions and inviting them to create.
To learn more, check out Ethan Hawke’s film Blaze, which is screening on March 16 at the Paramount Theatre.
Featured image: SXSW