SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—Ethan Hawke returned to Santa Barbara this week, revisiting a place tied to his earliest film memories and now honoring his long-standing contribution to American cinema. The 55-year-old actor, recipient of the American Riviera Award, talked openly about his varied roles and upcoming projects during the festival event.
Hawke recalled his first visit to Santa Barbara while working on his debut film.
“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,”
he said.
Career Highlights and Recent Acclaim
Across decades, Hawke has portrayed a wide array of characters, from a 1990s heartthrob and a murder trial reporter to complex villains, heroes, and poets. His performance as songwriter Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon recently earned him his first Best Actor Oscar nomination, adding to his four previous nominations in both acting and screenplay categories.
Thoughts on Sequels and Future Ambitions
Despite starring in several successful film franchises, Hawke expressed hesitation about returning to sequels. When asked by News Channel reporter Mina Wahab which sequel he would consider, he admitted,
“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.”
Beyond sequels, Hawke shared a restless creative drive and desire to explore diverse roles.
“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,”
he said.
Oscar Prospects and Continuing Legacy
Having received two Best Supporting Actor nods for Boyhood and Training Day and two Best Adapted Screenplay nominations for Before Midnight and Before Sunset, Hawke’s recent Best Actor nomination for Blue Moon marks a new milestone. With the Oscars approaching, anticipation grows around whether he will take home the award, further cementing his standing in the film industry.
Ethan Hawke’s presence at the Santa Barbara festival highlights not only his established legacy but also his persistent pursuit of new artistic challenges, promising audiences more diverse and compelling work in the future.
