In a recent video interview with Vanity Fair, Ethan Hawke spoke about his career and recalled his time on “Dead Poets Society”, when he starred alongside Robin Williams.
+ In an interview, Kamala Harris defends Biden and says he was fit to continue as president
Hawke was only 18 years old when he starred with Williams in the drama directed by Peter Weir and revealed how the late actor couldn’t stick to the script and constantly improvised, which for him was something completely new.
“Robin is a comedy genius. But dramatic acting was still new to him at that time,” Hawke said. “Robin Williams didn’t follow the script, and I didn’t know that was even possible. If he had an idea, he just went for it. He didn’t ask for permission. And that opened a new door for me — that it was possible to act that way.”
For the 54-year-old actor, it was fascinating to observe the interaction between Weir and Williams and to see that, even with different working methods, the actor and the director found ways to collaborate with each other.
“They had very different ways of working, but they didn’t judge or resist each other. They worked together. That’s exciting,” reflected Hawke.
“That’s when you realize the true potential of great collaboration: you don’t need to be like anyone else, and you don’t need to hate someone for being different from you.”
According to Hawke, being able to witness the dynamic between the director and Williams was one of the greatest lessons of his career.
“Watching that relationship in the room — I was barely a meter away while they talked about acting — that’s something you never forget,” Hawke said.
In “Dead Poets Society”, Hawke played one of several students of the new and sensitive English teacher John Keating, portrayed by Williams. The film was both a critical and commercial success, grossing more than $230 million worldwide and earning Oscar nominations for both Weir and Williams.
Source and images: reproduction Touchstone Pictures | Vanity Fair. This content was written with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
