Actor Ethan Hawke told EFE that he «would feel great, if he deserved it», about winning the Oscar for his performance in the film ‘Blue Moon’, by American director Richard Linklater, during a tribute he received this Sunday at the Miami Film Festival GEMS.
Dressed in cowboy boots and sheriff-style sunglasses, a nod to his Texas roots, Hawke received the honorary Variety Virtuoso Award during the Miami Film Festival GEMS, which culminates this Wednesday.
«I love being considered a virtuoso, it's one of the best 'insults' one can receive in this life,» joked the film director as well after acknowledging that he enjoys these recognitions.
Ethan Hawke's performance, who plays composer Lorenz Hart in the film released last October, has been praised by critics, consolidating his prestige after several Oscar nominations that have not yet translated into a statuette.
Hawke thanked for the recognition and said he «loves festivals like this, because they are the lifeblood of the industry» and added that these celebrations «keep cinema alive».
The actor was honored during the autumn edition of the Miami Film Festival, during a gala at Miami-Dade College, where hundreds of admirers attended.
«He is the best actor to talk about cinema with,» highlighted the festival's programming director, Lauren Cohen.
The college, in collaboration with the magazine Variety, praised Hawke's more than three decades of career, who turns 55 this Thursday.
She recalled Jesse, from the trilogy ‘Before Sunrise’ (1995), ‘Before Sunset’ (2004) and ‘Before Midnight’ (2013), with its long and deep dialogues alongside French actress Julie Delpy; as well as one of his early roles, in ‘Dead Poets Society’ (1989), alongside the legendary Robin Williams, or his Oscar-nominated role as a novice narcotics cop in Los Angeles, in the film ‘Training Day’ (2001).
The actor also participated in a panel about his career, moderated by Variety's executive editor, journalist Ramin Setoodeh.
«With over 70 film credits — we all have a favorite Ethan Hawke movie — and a career spanning television, theater, directing and even literature, he represents the artist who constantly reinvents himself. No one is more deserving of the award,» Setoodeh stated when the festival announced the award.
The conversation reviewed Hawke's long career as a film and theater actor, novelist, screenwriter and film director.
Hawke named Linklater countless times, with whom he has a special connection that has led them to work together on nine films: «What makes Linklater so special is his humility,» he said.
He added that the director «works 12 years on a movie and obsesses over it», referring to ‘Boyhood’, with which Hawke connected very well, as one of his children had just been born.
Among his most recent projects, the actor stars and serves as executive producer of the drama series ‘The Lowdown’, in which he plays a citizen journalist who calls himself a «truthstorian», and told EFE that he «identified a lot» with this character at this point in his life.
