Many film enthusiasts consider Dead Poets Society as one of the most cherished movies of the late actor Robin Williams. In the film, Williams’ character English teacher John Keating is a true outlier in the strict setting of the elite boarding school. Playing one of the students in the film is a young Ethan Hawke in his breakthrough performance. However, Hawke and Williams did not get along greatly.
Hawke shared that he wanted to be a serious actor in the industry. However, the Jumanji actor had the habit of making jokes on set which Hawke found incredibly irritating. Though their initial relationship didn’t go smoothly, it was Williams who helped him get his first agent.
Ethan Hawke Opened Up About His Experience Working With Robin Williams In Dead Poets Society
Ethan Hawke thought Robin Williams hated him on the set of Dead Poets Society. Hawke shared his experience working on the film with the Oscar-winning actor when he appeared on The Graham Norton Show. The host asked him why his relationship with Williams was “fractious” on the set of the film.
Hawke shared that Williams used to crack jokes on set and was very relaxed and inventive. The legendary actor would just improv constantly all day long. However, the Moon Knight actor was not at all vibing with this atmosphere on the set. Hawke wanted to be a serious actor and shared that he had read Konstantin Stanislavski to be in the film.
Hawke really tried to be in character and did not laugh at any of the jokes. He recalled that Williams got more “insane” with his jokes when he found that Hawke wasn’t laughing at his jokes. At one point, Williams started leaning into the Before Midnight actor’s character Todd in the film which made Hawke believe that the Mrs. Doubtfire actor hated him. Hawke shared:
He was incredibly funny and he was very relaxed, very inventive. He was playing this teacher and he would just improv constantly all day long. The more the crew laughed the more he was [encouraged]. I really wanted to be a serious actor. I’d read Stanislavski and I really wanted to be in character and I really didn’t want to laugh. So the more I didn’t laugh the more insane he got. So I thought he hated me because he just constantly would lay into Todd.
Fans would almost understand where Hawke was coming from since he had portrayed mostly serious roles in his career that carried some depth. He was nominated twice for Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Training Day and Boyhood. He also earned Oscar nominations for co-writing the screenplays of Before Sunset and Before Midnight.
Ethan Hawke Only Truly Understood Robin Williams After The Film
Ethan Hawke further went on to share that he understood the method behind the madness only when he got a call after the film. He went back to school after the film and got a call from one of the top agents in Hollywood who managed Williams. He told him that the Boulevard actor had spoken highly of him and that he wanted to take him on.
Hawke shared that it was how he got his first agent, who continued to manage him. Hawke’s heartwarming tale was received with a big round of applause. Hawke shared:
When the movie was over, I had to go back to school and I got this call and it was from a big Hollywood agent. This guy says, ‘I’m Robin Williams’ agent and he says that you’re gonna be somebody and that I should sign you.’ I was like, ‘Really?!’. And so he got me my first agent.
Dead Poets Society earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Williams. The film grossed $235 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
Dead Poets Society is currently available to rent on AppleTV+.
