SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—Ethan Hawke visited Santa Barbara once again, revisiting a place tied to his early experiences in film. Known for his diverse and dynamic Ethan Hawke film roles, he received the American Riviera Award on Friday in recognition of his enduring impact on American cinema.
“When I was doing my first movie, ‘The Explorers’ I came up to Santa Barbara. Was the first time I’ve ever been here. And I saw, ‘The Breakfast Club.’ I remember the roof of my head came off. I loved it, so I’m happy to be back.”
said Ethan Hawke, highlighting the significance of his initial inspiration in the area.
A Career Spanning Diverse Characters and Recent Accolades
At 55, Hawke has portrayed a wide range of characters, including a 90s heartthrob, a reporter investigating a murder trial, heroes, villains, poets, and historical figures. His recent performance as songwriter Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon earned him his first Best Actor Oscar nomination, adding to an already impressive list of accolades.
During an interview with news reporter Mina Wahab, Hawke was asked about sequels he might consider revisiting.
Contemplating Sequels and Future Ambitions
“What’s funny is in general, I don’t even like sequels because I like to do something new all the time. But if I had to do a sequel to something it would be for ‘The Lowdown,’ which I’m gonna do next.”
he shared, expressing reluctance toward sequels but revealing an exception for an upcoming project.
Despite his extensive career, Hawke is eager to explore new artistic directions.
“I’d love to do a crazy, bald faced comedy in my life. I wanted to like Shakespeare’s ’The Tempest’, I wanna do a new play. I want to do another movie with Richard Linklater. There’s so many young people I’d love to work with. That’s the great thing about cinema. It’s huge, expansive, and global,”
said Hawke, emphasizing his restless creative spirit and desire to collaborate with fresh talent.
Oscar Nominations Highlight a Storied Path
Hawke’s Oscar history includes five nominations: two for Best Supporting Actor for Boyhood and Training Day, two for Best Adapted Screenplay for Before Midnight and Before Sunset, and his recent Best Actor nod for Blue Moon. With the awards ceremony approaching, fans and critics alike are waiting to see if he will claim the Oscar this time.
