Ethan Hawke Reflects on Daughter Maya Hawke’s Challenging Childhood with Regret
Ethan Hawke has expressed his regret over his daughter Maya Hawke not experiencing an easy childhood.
“There were numerous elements of her childhood that were truly challenging and complex, and things I wish I could change for her,” Ethan, 55, shared about his eldest daughter in an Variety & CNN interview on “Actors on Actors” with Sydney Sweeney, which aired on Thursday, December 11.
Ethan has Maya, 27, and son Levon, 23, with his ex-wife Uma Thurman, along with daughters Clementine Jean and Indiana from his marriage to current wife, Ryan Shawhughes Hawke.
While Ethan didn’t disclose the specific challenges Maya faced, the Black Phone actor remarked that he noticed she would “be an artist” when she was “around 4.”
“I realized she was destined to excel,” he reflected. “That was her sanctuary—watercoloring, dancing, and singing throughout her childhood.”
Ethan reminisced about Maya’s ability to express herself.
“Anything related to human interaction resonated with her,” he noted. “I recall a teacher asking, ‘Maya, are you happy?’ since they were concerned about her. She responded with something like, ‘Do you really believe that’s the question?’”
Ethan expressed immense pride in Maya’s depth at such a young age.
“I thought, ‘I adore this child,’” he recalled. “At around 13, Maya said, ‘I don’t believe that’s an interesting question. There are far more intriguing questions than whether I’m happy or not. Am I happy? No. But I don’t aim to be happy.’”
Ethan’s intuition about Maya was spot on; she has emerged as a star in her own right. Maya has starred in various films, including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Do Revenge, Asteroid City, Maestro, and more. She is especially recognized for her role as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things. Maya also has numerous upcoming projects, such as One Night Only, Wishful Thinking, and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Earlier this year, Ethan noted that Maya didn’t require his guidance to embark on her acting career.
“She was undeterred by my opinions. There was no stopping her, and that’s the right mindset. When your focus is on what you can contribute to the arts, you will find joy. If your focus shifts to what you can receive in return, you will end up dissatisfied,” Ethan expressed in an October interview with AARP. “If you truly enjoy it and wish to teach or be involved in any capacity, then good things will follow.”
This October, Maya mentioned that her father’s performances were pivotal in her decision to pursue acting.
“People often ask me what movies inspired me to act,” she confessed in an October interview with Autre. “However, the real influences were my dad performing in The Winter’s Tale along with Rebecca Hall, and both Lily Rabe in The Merchant of Venice and As You Like It. Those three productions made me aspire to be that kind of woman, filled with strength and grace.”
