As one of the most recognized and popular actors in the world, Ethan Hawke is a man who literally needs no introduction. He is an American director, writer, producer, and novelist. He has directed three off-Broadway plays, three feature films, and a documentary. He began his career in the industry when he was cast in the 1985 science fiction film Explorers. In this film, he also starred River Phoenix, Jason Presson, and Amanda Peterson. While “Explorers” was a great start, his breakthrough came when he was cast in the 1989 drama “Dead Poets Society” – in which Robin Williams also played one of his most celebrated roles.
He was later cast in the lead role in the 1994 American romantic comedy-drama Reality Bites. The film starring Winona Ryder and Steve Zahn was written by Helen Childress and directed by Ben Stiller. In 1995 he starred in Richard Linklater’s romantic drama “Before Sunrise”. The film was so successful that it spawned two equally successful sequels – Before Sunset and Before Midnight. The actor was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Ethan Hawke was also featured in Training Day and Boyhood – two films that were loved by critics and audiences beyond all expectations. This shows that over the years Ethan Hawke has acquired great skill in selecting roles that stand the test of time.
Ethan Hawke’s Biography
Ethan Green Hawke was born on 6 November 1970 in Austin, Texas. His father, James, was an actuary, while his mother, Leslie, worked for a charity. His parents were high school sweethearts who married very young – his mother was only seventeen at the time of their marriage and Ethan was born just one year later.
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At the time of his birth, his parents were students at the University of Texas At Austin. Unfortunately, his parents divorced in 1974 when Ethan was only four years old; after that, Ethan was raised mainly by his mother. They moved around a little before settling in New York City, where he attended the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights. His mother, Leslie, soon remarried when he was 10 years old and the family had to move to New Jersey where Ethan attended West Windsor Plainsboro High School, which was renamed West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South in 1997. He then moved to the Hun School of Princeton, a boarding school he graduated from in 1988.
Acting and writing have always been two of Ethan’s greatest passions, and he made the decision to pursue his passions at a young age. He made his acting debut in a school production of Saint Joan when he was just thirteen years old; he also appeared in other school plays such as You Can’t Take It With You and St. Louis.
When he transferred to The Hun School of Princeton, he began taking acting classes at the McCarter Theatre of Princeton University. After high school, he was accepted to study acting at the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University but dropped out when he was cast in Dead Poets Society, the film consolidated his position as an A-lister in Hollywood. Later he enrolled twice in the English program at New York University. But both times he broke off his studies to pursue other acting roles.
Net Worth & Career
Ethan Hawke has a total net worth of $55 million. Given his professional diversity, versatility, and longevity, it is easy to understand why he is worth so much. Hawke has been nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards, BAFTA Awards and Golden Globe Awards for his achievements. With a resume as impressive as his, one can understand why the actor was able to land leading roles in Gattaca, Sinister, Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead, Assault On Precinct 13, and a modern adaptation of Hamlet.
The actor appeared in several plays, including Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull in 1992 (which was also his Broadway debut). He also played in Tom Stoppard’s The Coast of Utopia, a role that earned him a Tony Award nomination for best actor in a play. He has also directed several plays, including Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind.
When it comes to his considerable fortune, he has proven over the years that as an actor and director he is worth every penny he has ever been paid.
Family: Wife, Kids, Brother
Ethan met his future wife and A-Lister colleague Uma Thurman on the set of their 1996 science fiction movie Gattaca. The couple had two children together, a daughter named Maya, born in 1998, and a son, Levon, born in 2002.
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Ethan Hawke then joined the long line of celebrities who had an affair with the nannies – which led to his separation from Uma in 2003 and their final divorce in 2005. He later married this nanny, Ryan Shawhughes, in 2008. Ethan and Ryan now have two daughters – Clementine Jane, born in 2008, and Indiana, born in 2011.
Speaking of family, the actor also has three brothers: Matthew Hawke, Samuel Hawke, and Patrick powers who is an American soldier.