Ethan Hawke Goes Viral: Oscar-Nominated Actor’s Candid New Interview Sparks Social Media Buzz

Ethan Hawke is back in the awards-season conversation thanks to Richard Linklater’s long-gestating musical drama “Blue Moon,” which screened this week at the BFI London Film Festival after a 12-year development process. The Oscar-nominated actor walked the red carpet alongside co-stars Andrew Scott and Bobby Cannavale, giving festivalgoers an early look at his dual turn as Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart and, in flashback, the younger creative prodigy whose breakup with composer Richard Rodgers reshapes American theater. Hawke told reporters that “Blue Moon” completes an informal trilogy of creative-process films he began with “Before Sunrise” and continued in “Boyhood,” yet he insisted there will be no fourth “Before” installment with Julie Delpy: “Those characters have said everything they need to say,” he said, putting long-running sequel rumors to rest. Away from the festival spotlight, the 54-year-old star revealed a lighter side when he recalled style advice once given by the late Robert Redford. “Robert looked at my worn-out boots and said, ‘Kid, spend money on shoes; they’re the only thing between you and the earth,’ ” Hawke laughed during a New York appearance promoting his new memoir. Preparation for “Blue Moon” was anything but light, however. Hawke, Cannavale and composer-consultant Patti LuPone reportedly met for late-night sessions at Sardi’s to soak up vintage Broadway lore before cameras rolled. The result is a performance critics are calling his most layered since “First Reformed,” with The Guardian praising Hawke’s “terrific” embodiment of Hart’s genius and heartbreak. Industry watchers note that Hawke’s mid-October media blitz smartly positions “Blue Moon” ahead of awards-voter ballots. Combined with daughter Maya Hawke’s rising profile in “Stranger Things,” the actor is enjoying multigenerational buzz that could translate into box-office momentum when the film opens in limited release next month. Whether discussing craft, fashion tips from Hollywood royalty, or the end of an iconic romance trilogy, Ethan Hawke continues to prove why audiences—and search engines—can’t look away.