Ethan Hawke: 10 years to find another great filmmaking experience after Dead Poets Society
Synopsis
Ethan Hawke admits the warmth of Dead Poets Society misled him — he spent a decade thinking that was normal filmmaking, only to discover most sets are 'cold and crass.' His candid exchange with Kyle MacLachlan at a New York book event reveals how rare genuine creative safety is in Hollywood, and why both actors count their long-running director partnerships as career-defining luck.
Key Takeaways
Ethan Hawke , 55 , revealed he spent 10 years searching for a great filmmaking experience after Dead Poets Society ( 1989 ).
He credited director Peter Weir for the exceptional on-set environment that shaped — and initially distorted — his expectations of the industry.
Hawke made the admission while moderating a book talk for Kyle MacLachlan's memoir Fictional Selves in New York City .
He has collaborated with director Richard Linklater on 9 films and is currently making his 10th with him.
MacLachlan credited the late David Lynch with giving him the joy and creative freedom that defines his relationship with acting.
Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke has opened up about a decade-long creative drought following his breakthrough role in Dead Poets Society, revealing that the warmth and craft of that production set an expectation he struggled to find again for nearly ten years. The admission came during a book talk moderated by Hawke for co-star Kyle MacLachlan's memoir Fictional Selves, held in New York City.
A Formative Experience That Set the Bar Too High
Hawke, now 55, made his Hollywood debut in the 1989 coming-of-age classic directed by Peter Weir, alongside the late Robin Williams and Robert Sean Leonard. He credited Weir for cultivating an on-set environment that felt singular — one he initially mistook for the industry norm.
'I thought Dead Poets Society is what making a movie was like,' Hawke said at the event. 'It's not what it's like. A lot of people are really cold and crass and mean and they really want to sell something and they want to manipulate you and they don't respect actors.'
Reflecting on the emotional cost of that realisation, Hawke told MacLachlan: 'That for me was the hard part of growing up, which I feel for you when I read Fictional Selves. What happens is when you have these beautiful experiences. I had a great experience with Peter Weir, and then I went 10 years without having a great experience.'
The Linklater Lifeline
The conversation surfaced in the context of both actors discussing their long creative partnerships — Hawke's with director Richard Linklater, and MacLachlan's with the late David Lynch. Hawke has collaborated with Linklater on 9 films and is currently working on his 10th project with the director.
Hawke described the Linklater set as a place of rare psychological safety. 'The creative space that I know from working with Richard Linklater… is a very safe place. And you can talk about anything if you're among friends, right? You can share the darkest thought if you know you're loved. And that's what a Linklater set feels like,' he said.
MacLachlan on the Lynch Legacy
MacLachlan, best known for his role in Twin Peaks, spoke movingly about how Lynch — who passed away earlier this year — had shaped his relationship with his craft. 'I love what I do. I love coming to set. And I get this from David too, because the sense of joy and creative freedom and excitement was always present on David's set,' MacLachlan said.
He recalled that even during the demanding shoots of Blue Velvet, involving Dennis Hopper and Isabella Rossellini, Lynch preserved an atmosphere of creativity and joy. 'I'm in my creative, happy place when that's happening on set,' MacLachlan added.
A Rare Bond in a Difficult Industry
Both actors agreed that sustained, fruitful creative partnerships are an anomaly in Hollywood. 'Young actors dream of having a creative relationship with a filmmaker. I got to have that with Richard Linklater. You got to have that with David Lynch,' Hawke said, calling himself and MacLachlan 'extremely lucky.'
The candid exchange offers a rare window into how formative early collaborations can both inspire and complicate an actor's journey — and why finding a filmmaker who respects actors remains a quietly radical act in the film industry.
Point of View
Not easier. The deeper story here is structural: Hollywood's default mode, by Hawke's own account, is disrespect for actors, and finding a Weir or a Linklater is the exception that proves the rule. That both he and MacLachlan needed a single visionary director to restore their faith in the craft says something uncomfortable about an industry that profits from creative labour while routinely devaluing it. The conversation is also a quiet tribute to Lynch at a moment when his absence is still being processed by the film world.
NationPress
11 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Ethan Hawke say he spent 10 years without a great filmmaking experience?
Ethan Hawke said his debut in Dead Poets Society, directed by Peter Weir, set an unusually high standard for on-set culture that he could not find replicated for nearly a decade. He described many subsequent productions as environments where people were 'cold and crass' and did not respect actors.
Where did Ethan Hawke make these comments?
Hawke made the comments at a book talk for Kyle MacLachlan's memoir Fictional Selves, held in New York City. Hawke moderated the event, and the two discussed their respective long-term collaborations with directors Richard Linklater and David Lynch.
How many films has Ethan Hawke made with Richard Linklater?
Ethan Hawke has made 9 films with director Richard Linklater and is currently working on his 10th collaboration with him. He described the Linklater set as a rare, psychologically safe creative space.
What did Kyle MacLachlan say about working with David Lynch?
MacLachlan said David Lynch had been hugely influential on his love of acting, describing Lynch's sets as places of joy, creative freedom, and excitement. He recalled that even during intense scenes on Blue Velvet, Lynch preserved a sense of creativity throughout.
What is Kyle MacLachlan's memoir Fictional Selves about?
Fictional Selves is a memoir by actor Kyle MacLachlan, best known for Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet. The book covers his creative life and collaborations, including his formative working relationship with the late director David Lynch.
