Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke, longtime friends and creative partners from Texas, have reunited for the film Blue Moon, which premiered in select theaters recently. This movie explores the life of the lyricist Lorenz Hart during a pivotal night at the famous Sardi’s restaurant in 1943. Their partnership spans over 30 years and eight films, making this project one they had contemplated for more than ten years. Yet, despite their familiarity, Blue Moon demanded an entirely fresh and intense dynamic between them.
Linklater’s Uncharacteristic Directorial Approach
During the filming of Blue Moon, Linklater pushed Hawke harder than usual in a way that surprised even long-time collaborators. The director admitted that his usual easygoing style was replaced with persistent, demanding direction.
“I was nagging. I was riding his (expletive). It’s not the way I work usually,”
Linklater said. He added that despite the film’s modest scale, the responsibility on Hawke’s performance was enormous.
Hawke himself confirmed this rigorous approach. He observed that Linklater had taken on the role reminiscent of Sidney Lumet, known for being a precise yet tough actors’ director. Hawke remarked,
“It was shocking to me. He didn’t want us to take the work for granted, or that we were friends,”
and added,
“He’s been listening to me talk about acting for 30 years and he wanted to give me a chance to really do it. To stop talking about it and do it.”
Portraying Lorenz Hart: A Complex Deconstruction
Hawke’s character, Lorenz Hart, contrasts significantly with the roles he has played with Linklater before — such as Jesse in the Before series. Hart was a small-statured, self-conscious man who combined genius with heavy alcoholism, making him a complicated figure in the shifting cultural landscape of early 1940s America. In portraying Hart, Hawke faced the daunting task of stepping away from his own public persona, embracing vulnerability, and even undergoing physical transformation.
Over the decade-long development of the script by Robert Kaplow, Hawke participated in periodic readings but felt deep fear once actual rehearsals began. Early in the process, he became physically ill, a sign of the intense stress the role imposed.
“It’s like my body knew this was about to be something really stressful,”
he explained. This part demanded the dismantling of the movie star image of Ethan Hawke, as the film revolves around Hart’s character — his flaws, his wit, and his tragic contradictions.
The Story Behind Blue Moon: One Night at Sardi’s
Blue Moon takes place during the opening night of the landmark musical Oklahoma! in 1943. The narrative unfolds at Sardi’s, a legendary restaurant in Broadway’s theater district, where Hart waits for his former collaborator Richard Rodgers, portrayed by Andrew Scott. Rodgers and Hart’s songwriting partnership generated timeless classics like My Funny Valentine, Isn’t It Romantic?, The Lady is a Tramp, and Blue Moon itself.
This film focuses on the fallout of that creative relationship. With Oklahoma!, Rodgers had begun working with Oscar Hammerstein II, paving the way for musicals such as South Pacific, Carousel, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Hart, meanwhile, was sidelined and would pass away just eight months after the musical’s premiere at the age of 48.
Hawke highlighted the dual nature of Hart’s personality:
“The country is changing, and the jazz era is ending and a new era is beginning and one of these people is going to continue on to lead and the other is going to be completely left behind,”
he said.
“And the fact that he’s so funny in the face of tragedy? That’s where the screenplay really shines: The duality of this man. He’s both absurdly jealous and simultaneously very supportive and loving. He’s wickedly funny and suicidal. He’s a homosexual in love with a woman. The correlation of opposites, that is Larry Hart.”
Physical Transformation and Production Details
To authentically capture Hart’s appearance, the production used inventive techniques to make Hawke, who is 5-foot-10, appear much smaller. The film was produced on a tight budget, which led to creative solutions such as building an entire Sardi’s set in Ireland. Hawke even shaved his head to mimic Hart’s balding look, emphasizing the physical and emotional immersion required for the role.
Linklater described the film as
“this little howl into the night of an artist being left behind,”
elaborating,
“It’s to live through your own extinction. I hope people respond to it the way you would a beautiful Rodgers and Hart song. It’s lyrical, it’s beautiful in a way, but it leaves you kind of devastated.”
Reflection on a Lifelong Dedication to the Arts
Hawke’s career has been marked by relentless reinvention, and he acknowledged moments when he felt his relevance was fading.
“There’s no way you could do this for over 30 years and not feel it,”
he said.
“They come on like waves and you have to try to survive.”
The role inspired Hawke to recall mentors from his early theater days in the 1980s, many of whom lived in the shadows due to their sexuality and treated their craft as a spiritual mission rather than a career. He remembered one stage actor, the late Richard Easton, who told him,
“One lifetime is not enough. It’s not enough time to learn what you need to learn to be the kind of actor that you dream of being.”
Hawke added,
“It’s a great attitude. It creates a perpetual sense of learning and an ongoing process, and this part really did require everything that I’d learned up until now.”
Blue Moon and Linklater’s Artistic Exploration
Blue Moon forms part of a duo of films by Linklater released this month that showcase artists at different career stages. While Novelle Vague, opening October 31, portrays the early years of Jean-Luc Godard’s filmmaking, Blue Moon delves into the twilight of an artist’s life.
“There’s a poignancy to art careers,”
Linklater observed.
“I think we all think we’re just going to run the table and do this until the day we die. But things get in the way.”
The Enduring Partnership of Linklater and Hawke
Despite the challenging working relationship on this film, Linklater and Hawke’s friendship and collaboration remain steady. Though the director’s demanding style could have caused friction, no heated conflicts arose. Hawke confirmed that while the idea of being punched during filming was real, in the end, the tough but supportive dynamic paid off. The actor rose to the occasion, and their long-standing connection remained intact.
