Show Notes
Ethan Hawke joins John Feitelberg on Scene Stealers to break down some of his most memorable performances. Ethan stars in The Lowdown, Season 2, out now on FX and Hulu!
He sits down with John to discuss the series, working with legendary filmmakers, and the craft behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable performances.
From Before Sunrise and Dead Poets Society to Training Day, Ethan shares the stories behind the scenes, what he learned from working with Robin Williams and Denzel Washington, and why imperfection is essential to great art.
Plus, Ethan breaks down the magic of improvisation and why Jack Nicholson's run in the 1970s might be the greatest decade of acting ever.
Watch The Lowdown, Season 2, now. New episodes drop Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT on FX and 9pm PT on Hulu!
CHAPTERS 00:00 — Cold Open 00:50 — Welcome to Scene Stealers 02:14 — The Lowdown and Building a Great Character 05:18 — Why Imperfection Makes Art Better 08:21 — Working With Tommy Lee Jones 10:51 — Ethan Hawke on The Lowdown and Reservation Dogs 16:00 — Before Sunrise 18:06 — Richard Linklater's Approach to Acting 20:05 — Why the Before Trilogy Feels Like a Dream 21:12 — Writing Realistic Dialogue 23:17 — Did Before Sunrise Predict the Future? 27:04 — What Ethan Hawke Learned Making Tape 29:20 — Dead Poets Society 30:29 — Robin Williams 32:03 — Identity, Empathy, and Becoming a Character 36:24 — What If Ethan Hawke Had Never Made Dead Poets Society? 38:21 — Finding Your Own Path 39:59 — Ethan Hawke on Working With Robin Williams 42:35 — Today's Sponsor: Square 44:33 — Training Day 46:07 — The Legacy of Training Day 49:12 — What Does Improvisation Actually Mean? 51:17 — The Secret Behind the Before Trilogy's Natural Dialogue 53:02 — How Great Directors Create Magic 55:30 — Ethan’s Favorite Scene: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 57:03 — Was Jack Nicholson's Run the Greatest Decade in Acting History? 59:18 — Action Movies 01:01:09 — Ethan Hawke's Next Dream Collaboration
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