Ethan Hawke has a morbid professional goal that he hopes to achieve before he calls time on his career.
The actor says he’d like his obituary to note that he starred in at least one great film in every genre possible. Hawke is known as much for the caliber of movies he’s often involved in as for the volume he produces.
In a recent late-night appearance, the “Training Day” star opened up about this relentless work ethic.
Ethan Hawke Reveals He Describes Himself As ‘Genre-Agnostic’
Hawke’s love of movies began at a very young age, leading him to land his first acting role at just 14.
The “Dead Poets Society” star recently appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where he discussed how that passion ultimately shaped him into the unbiased cinephile he is today.
“I grew up loving movies so much that I called myself genre agnostic,” Hawke said.
It was out of this appreciation for a wide range of genres that he says his morbid dream was born.
“I was thinking about what I wanted my obituary to say,” Hawke continued. “I want it to say, ‘This guy has one good movie in every genre.’”
Hawke Says He Wants To Star In A Will Ferrell-Style Comedy
Fallon and Hawke joked about the actor inching closer to his goal of claiming a great film in every genre.
“It’s getting scary,” Hawke admitted. “It makes me feel old that I actually have… I’ve checked a few off.”
When asked what genre he would like to try but hadn’t had the chance to, Hawke revealed that the one glaring miss on his CV was a Will Ferrell-style satire film.
“When I see movies like ‘Talladega Nights,’ I want to be in it so badly,” he said. “You're friends with Will Ferrell, hook a brother up!”
Ethan Hawke Opens Up About Career Insecurities
Hawke might not have too much left to prove as an actor, but that has not always been the case.
During his late-night cameo on “The Tonight Show,” he spoke candidly about some of the insecurities he has faced, particularly in the early days of his career.
In one story, Hawke recalled begging for his portrait to be placed on the wall at Broadway’s iconic Sardi’s restaurant, despite having performed in only seven shows at the time.
“I remember I made a big deal that I was on Broadway, and I was only [in] seven performances,” Hawke said. “I begged Sardi’s, and they were nice enough to draw me a portrait.”
The Actor Details Dramatic Physical Transformation For ‘Blue Moon’ Role
Hawke had a typically busy 2025, with one of his standout performances coming in the film “Blue Moon.”
Sardi’s is in fact the location where the events of the film take place, with Hawke playing the role of legendary Broadway composer Lorenz Hart. For the part, he went through a meticulous process to nail the character’s specific balding look. The routine required Hawke to shave off a part of his head and leave another section for a comb-over.
The actor also revealed that the movie was shot with clever techniques to make his character appear shorter on screen.
“Sometimes we’d block the whole movie out, and we could build a trench about a foot shorter for me to walk through,” Hawke explained. “He was the smallest person in every room, and he was the biggest person in every room.”
Ethan Hawke Claims He Can’t Stop Himself From Working
Aside from “Blue Moon,” another major project from Hawke’s 2025 collection was “Black Phone 2.” He also stars in “The Weight,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2026.
One day after the festival debut, Hawke spoke to Variety about a wide of topics, including why he never appears to slow down on work.
“Why can’t I sit still? Why do I work so much?” Hawke posed. “[Because] I love it.”
He explained that the key for him was seeing the impact his movies have on the viewers.
“Once you [have] felt that feeling of making something bigger than yourself and you watch it connect with audiences, I chase it,” Hawke said. “I’m just chasing.”