After attending his first casting call at the age of 14, Ethan Hawke was in for great things. Although his first film opposite River Phoenix, Explorers in 1985, did poorly at the box office, Hawke admitted to quitting for a while, and recommended that a kid never act. He came back however in 1989 playing Ted Danson’s son in Dad, and landing his breakthrough role in Dead Poets Society opposite Robin Williams, which remains his most profitable film to date. He developed a love of acting early on being cast in various school productions including George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, You Can’t Take It with You, and Meet Me in St Louis.

After the success of Dead Poets Society, Ethan Hawke landed his first leading role in the 1991 White Fang, and after that, other films including Midnight Clear and Alive. The critics praised Hawke’s performance in Reality Bites (1994) opposite Winona Ryder, and once again in 1995 for Before Sunrise opposite Julie Delpy. The next success for Hawke came in the form of Gattaca, which he told the media, was the most interesting script he had read in years. Although the film was received badly at the box office, Hawke’s performance stood out. He acted alongside Uma Thurman.

A modern adaptation of Great Expectations followed in 1998, where Ethan Hawke played the lead role of Finnegan Bell opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, with the Newton Boys following shortly after. Hawke’s only movie in 1999 was Snow Falling on Cedars. His next film, in 2000, was Hamlet, a modern adaptation of the Shakespearean classic, in which Hawke played the title role. A few movies followed soon after, with Tape being shot in 2001, which Hawke considers his first adult role.

Possibly his most famous role came towards the end of 2001, when he played the part of Jake Hoyt in Training Day opposite Denzel Washington. He earned a Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the rookie cop going head to head with a legend in the Narcotics Division of the LAPD. The next big movie came in 2005, in which Hawke played Sergeant Jake Roenick in Assault on Precinct 13 with Laurence Fishburne. Movies since then include Lord of War, Fast Food Nation, What Doesn’t Kill You, New York, I Love You, Brooklyn’s Finest, and Daybreakers.

In between his illustrious acting career, Hawke has also focused on his writing. Ethan Hawke wanted to be a writer at college, but always dropped out due to acting commitments. During breaks in movies, he wrote the novel, The Hottest State, and Ash Wednesday. Alongside writing, Hawke also pursuing his directing, debuting with an independent feature called Chelsea Walls, in 2002. In 2003, he appeared in a few episodes of Alias, the hit TV series that starred Jennifer Garner. Screenwriting was the next thing on Ethan Hawke’s to-do list, and he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, with co-writers Richard Linklater and Julie Delpy for Before Sunset, the sequel to Before Sunrise.

Ethan Hawke also worked on The Numbers Station, Playing the Field, Exit Strategy, Tonight at Noon, The Woman in the Fifth, and a stage play by Tommy Nohilly, called Blood from a Stone, off Broadway. He has acted in and directed numerous plays including Lie of the Mind, Winter’s Tale, Cheery Orchard, and more.