It’s the Hardest I’ve Ever Worked

The renowned American actor Ethan Hawke made an appearance at the Venice Film Festival for a career Q&A. He is also set to present Australian filmmaker Peter Weir with a career achievement award during a gala event tonight.

The session, partly conducted in Italian, spanned several topics in contemporary cinema. Hawke particularly discussed passion projects, citing Francis Ford Coppola’s $120 million self-funded Megalopolis as an example.

“I love that Coppola sold his winery to make that film,” Hawke remarked about Megalopolis. “Greed runs our universe. If you say you just want to make money, everyone understands. I love it when people keep the dream alive of making something magnificent. The whole film industry is shaped around making money.”

He further shared, “I have to pay my kid’s medical bills, but I would never want to be a person who wouldn’t sell their house to make a movie.”

Hawke revealed that he had arrived in Venice right after completing production on Blue Moon, his latest collaboration with filmmaker Richard Linklater. The film centers on the final days of American musician Lorenz Hart, from the famous Rodgers & Hart songwriting duo, primarily set in Sardi’s Restaurant on March 31, 1943. According to Hawke, this project is the “hardest I’ve ever worked in my life.”

“Richard is such a strange person. He sent me this script 12 years ago,” Hawke explained, diving into the project’s backstory. He recounted how Linklater made him wait because he was “still too attractive.” They revisited the script every few years, refining it until Linklater finally decided they were ready after seeing Hawke on a TV interview with Jimmy Fallon.

Following Weir’s career achievement ceremony this evening, Venice will premiere The Room Next Door, the latest film by legendary Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar. This marks Almodóvar’s first English-language film, starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore. Hawke has previously worked with Almodóvar on the short western project Strange Way of Life, describing him as one of the most unique voices he has encountered in his career.

“We’re so lucky to have a new Pedro film premiering tonight. I’ve never met anyone like him,” Hawke said, adding, “The fun aspect of this profession is that there’s not one way to make a movie. It’s based on the person.”

Hawke also touched on the industry’s gender disparity, noting he has worked with many men but only a few women. “Almodóvar is such a unique voice,” he emphasized. “The way the camera moves, the shade of green in the shot—it all matters in an Almodóvar film. I was honored to even be in a short film by him.”

The Venice Film Festival continues until September 7.

Source: Deadline