Are you afraid you're out of the running? Ethan Hawke just revealed the terrifying details of his 'Training Day' screen test with Denzel Washington and how his daughter Maya hooked him up with Taylor Swift. Find out the full story before everyone else does. </p><div data-id="72ac9d4" data-element_type="widget" data-widget_type="theme-post-content.default">
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Hawke honored in Miami
At a recent ceremony at the Miami Film Festival, veteran actor Ethan Hawke accepted the Variety Virtuoso Award, which takes the opportunity to reflect on a career marked by iconic collaborations and unforgettable moments. In a candid conversation, he shared behind-the-scenes stories about working with industry titans like Denzel Washington, Richard Linklater and pop phenomenon Taylor Swift.
The ‘scary’ audition that earned an Oscar Nod
One of the most revealing moments came when Hawke discussed his audition for the 2001 crime thriller “Training Day.” He described the screen test with Denzel Washington as an intimidating experience. “I was in the screen test and he didn’t say one line of script during the entire screen test,” Hawke recalls. “He was just improvising with me and it was very hard to keep up with him.”
Hawke credited his extensive experience with director Richard Linklater’s improvisational style for helping him navigate the moment when the stakes were high. By pretending Linklater was in the room, he was able to hold his own against Washington, eventually landing the role that earned him his first Academy Award nomination.
A ‘fortnight’ with Taylor Swift
More recently, Hawke found himself in the Taylor Swift universe, an opportunity he owes entirely to his daughter, actor Maya Hawke. “I got a text from my daughter saying, ‘Hey dad, Taylor Swift wants your number,'” he explained. Swift, a fan of “Dead Poets Society,” tapped Hawke for her self-directed music video for “Fortnight,” which reunited him with his “Dead Poets” co-star Josh Charles.
Hawke had nothing but praise for the global superstar. “That woman is incredible,” he said, marveling at her directing skills and cultural influence. He compared attending her Eras Tour to witnessing the Beatles, saying, “One day people will write books about this moment.”
A Linklater legacy
Perhaps the foundation of Hawke’s career is his long-standing collaboration with director Richard Linklater. After seeing Linklater’s debut film ‘Slacker’, Hawke felt an ‘injustice in the universe’ that he was not present in his films. The two eventually met after a Hawke play, forging an instant bond that led to nine films, including the beloved “Before Sunrise” trilogy and the ambitious 18-year project “Boyhood.” He shared an anecdote about improvising a key scene in “Before Sunrise” to convince co-star Julie Delpy’s character to get off the train, a testament to the creative experimentation that defined their work.
Despite a career full of highlights, Hawke remains focused on the future. “I’m so forward-looking,” he admitted. “I’m thinking, ‘What’s next? Can I do it again? Please? Get me another game coach.'”
Image reference: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/ethan-hawke-taylor-swift-richard-linklater-denzel-washington-1236570541/