WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."

MY GUEST TONIGHT IS AN ACTOR, WRITER, AND DIRECTOR YOU KNOW

FROM MOVIES LIKE "DEAD POETS SOCIETY," "BOYHOOD,"

"FIRST REFORMED," AND SO MANY MORE.

PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," ETHAN HAWKE!

HI, ETHAN.

>> HEY!

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Stephen: HEY!

THERE YOU GO.

MATCHY MATCHY!

GOOD TO SEE YA.

GOOD TO SEE YA.

LAST TIME YOU WERE HEAR, WE WERE TOSHING ABOUT YOUR SERIES GOOD

LORD BIRD.

>> YEAH.

>> Stephen: WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.

UNFORTUNATELY SO, SOMETIMES, EVEN WITH THINGS I DESPERATELY

WANT TO SEE, I DON'T HAVE A CLANS TO WATCH IT UNTIL THE

GUEST IS HERE.

I WATCHED IT AFTER YOU WERE HERE.

GOOD LORD, IS GOOD LORD BIRD GOOD.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL.

IT'S FUNNY AND TRAGIC, AND WHAT A GREAT JOHN BROWN, BECAUSE A

CRAZY CHARACTER, I KNOW WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT

I WANTED TO LOB THAT AT YA.

>> I APPRECIATE IT.

IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT EXPERIENCES IN MY LIFE PLAYING

CRAZY JOHN BROWN.

>> Stephen: YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK.

ARE YOU IN NEW YORK NOW.

>> I AM, FREEZING MY BUTT OFF.

>> Stephen: YOU'VE GOT YOUNG KIDS, ARE THEY ENJOYING THE

SNOW?

ARE YOU PLAYING WITH THEM?

ARE THEY SLEDDING SOMEPLACE OR BURYING EACH OTHER?

>> TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF MY STATUS AS

DAD.

FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR YEARS, I HAVE BEEN SHOVELING THAT WALK.

YOU KNOW WHAT I DID THIS MORNING?

I SAID, GET OUT THERE AND SHOVEL THAT WALK!

I'M SITTING HERE AND HAVING A COFFEE, AND I WATCHED FROM THE

WINDOW.

I SAID, YOU KNOW, THROW THE ROCK SALT DOWN.

THE GIRLS WORKED REALLY HARD AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB, I WAS PROUD

OF THEM.

>> Stephen: HOW OLD ARE THEY?

ALL RIGHT, I HAVE 22-YEAR-OLD AND A 19-YEAR-OLD, BUT THEY'RE

NOT AT HOME.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

AND THEN MY YOUNGER TWO ARE 12 AND 9.

>> Stephen: OKAY, THAT'S OLD ENOUGH TO SHOVEL.

>> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

>> Stephen: PUT SOME DAMN HAIR ON THEIR CHEST!

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

THE 12-YEAR-OLD IS WORKING HARD AND THE 9-YEAR-OLD JUST HAWKS

SNOWBALLS AT HER SISTER THE WHOLE TIME.

>> Stephen: THAT IS THE JOB OF THE YOUNGER SIBLING IS TO HUCK

SNOWBALLS.

>> DIDN'T HELP AT ALL.

>> Stephen: YOU GREW UP IN NEW JERSEY.

YOU HAD ALL KINDS OF SNOW.

>> ALL KINDS OF SNOW.

I SHOVELED MORE THAN MY SHARE OF WALKS.

IVE DONE MY TIME.

>> Stephen: I ACTUALLY GREW UP IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

NOT THAT YOU ASKED, BUT THANK YOU.

I GREW UP IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND WE WERE SO EXCITED FOR SNOW

BECAUSE IF THERE WAS ONE FLAKE, THE CITY, EVERYTHING WOULD SHUT

DOWN.

YOU WOULDN'T GO TO SCHOOL FOR A WEEK.

>> YEAH, I DIDN'T MOVE TO NEW JERSEY TILL I WAS 12, SO,

YOU KNOW, I SPENT A LOT OF MY CHILDHOOD IN TEXAS AND IN

ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

AND I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME IT SNOWED IN ATLANTA, I JUST

THOUGHT IT WAS, LIKE -- IT WAS GOD SAVING ME FROM A TEST.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD A SNOW DAY AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THIS

HISTORY TEST.

IT WAS HEAVEN.

>> Stephen: THE THING IS THE KIDS NOW, BECAUSE OF ALL THE

ZOOM TEACHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, MY FEAR IS THERE WON'T BE

SNOW DAYS AFTER THIS.

AND WHAT GREATER THING IS THERE FOR A PARENT TO TELL A CHILD, GO

BACK TO BED, IT'S A SNOW DAY?

>> I HAD THAT SAME THOUGHT.

I'M EVEN CURIOUS ABOUT US -- YOU KNOW, LAST TIME I WAS ON THE

SHOW FOR GOOD LORD BIRD, I NEVER THOUGHT THE NEXT TIME I WOULD BE

ON THE SHOW, WE WOULD STILL BE ZOOMING.

>> Stephen: THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, I'M AN OPTIMIST, I'M CONSTANTLY THINKING, YOU

KNOW, THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, THIS IS GOING TO BE OVER.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ASPECTS OF THIS TIME OF OUR LIVES ARE GOING

TO CATCH ON.

WILL WE BE DOING ZOOM INTERVIEWS FOR THE REST OF THE TIME?

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

I DON'T KNOW.

>> Stephen: I THINK HAIRSTYLES ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

BECAUSE I'VE GOT -- I'VE GOT THE LONGER HAIR THAN I'VE HAD IN A

LONG TIME, AND YOU'VE STILL GOT YOUR JOHN BROWN BEARD.

>> I SHAVED IT OFF.

I JUST LET IT GROW BACK.

THAT'S HOW LONG THIS DAMN PANDEMIC'S BEEN IS THAT YOU

TRIED TO GET YOURSELF BACK TO NORMAL, AND IT DIDN'T WORK.

>> BUT WHO CARES?

WHAT'S NORMAL ANYMORE?

>> Stephen: YOU ARE MANY THINGS.

YOU ARE IN MOVIES, ACTOR, DOCUMENTARIAN, AUTHOR, NOVEL,

MUSICIAN.

HOW DOES ETHAN HAWKE DESCRIBE ETHAN HAWKE?

PIGEON HOLE YOURSELF, ETHAN HAWKE.

>> FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT ASKED TO DESCRIBE MYSELF VERY OFTEN.

MAKES IT SOUND LIKE I HAVE A TINDER ACCOUNT OR SOMETHING.

>> Stephen: DO YOU HAVE A TINDER ACCOUNT?

>> I DON'T, MAN.

I'M A HAPPY MARRIED MAN.

HOW DO I DESCRIBE MYSELF?

I GUESS IF I HAD TO -- PEOPLE OFTEN SAY THAT THING TO ME,

WELL, YOU DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT, TO ME, IT REALLY

DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT BECAUSE I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING OUTSIDE

THE ARTS.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN MY DAD TOOK ME TO VISIT THE UNIVERSITY

OF TEXAS WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT COLLEGES AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S

LIKE THE BUSINESS BUILDING AND THERE'S THE ATHLETIC CENTER AND

THERE'S THE ARCHITECTURE BUILDING AND THEN THERE'S THE

ARTS.

AND THAT'S THE BUILDING I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE IN, AND

THAT'S JUST HOW I DESCRIBE MYSELF.

I'M IN THAT BUILDING.

I'M HANGING OUT WITH THOSE KIDS.

>> Stephen: IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, LIKE,

OOOH, I WANT TO TAKE A SHOT AT THAT BUT I HAVEN'T, I'VE NEVER

REALLY DONE IT.

LIKE, HAVE YOU WANTED TO DANCE, OR HAVE YOU DANCED?

>> ARE YOU ASKING ME?

>> Stephen: WELL, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO GO

WITH.

>> THIS INTERVIEW BECAME EXTREMELY INTERESTING.

>> SURE.

NO, I'M A REALLY BAD DANCER.

I WISH THAT -- >> Stephen: OR POTTERY OR

SCULPTURE.

IS THERE SOME FENCE THAT YOU HAVEN'T SWUNG FOR BECAUSE YOU

SEEM PRETTY FEARLESS.

>> I STARTED PROFESSIONALLY ACTING WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD,

AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH, BUT IF I DON'T DO OTHER THINGS, I FEEL

LIKE -- MOST PEOPLE AT 13 ARE DOING THEIR PAPER ROUTE.

IF I WAS STILL DOING MY PAPER ROUTE YOU WOULD MAKE FUN OF ME.

I NEED TO DO OTHER THINGS TO SHAKE UP MY PERSPECTIVE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT FEELS GOOD.

THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH BECAUSE I SUND LIKE AN IDIOT?

>> Stephen: NO, THE LOGIC MAKES PERFECT SENSE, EXCEPT THE

PART I WOULD BE MAKING FUN OF YOU.

I WOULD JUST BE WORRIED ABOUT YOU.

I DON'T THINK I WOULD LAUGH.

>> NO, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I FIND THERE'S A BUZZ YOU GET WHEN

YOU TAKE A DARE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT YOU FEEL LIKE A

HUMAN BEING.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS THING -- I'M AN ACTOR AND I GO ON THE

COLBERT SHOW AND I TALK ABOUT MY PERFORMANCES AND YOU GET THIS

ATTITUDE OF A PROFESSIONAL, I'M A PROFESSIONAL, AND IT MAKES

YOU, I DON'T KNOW, FEEL LIKE A GROWNUP IN A BAD WAY, LIKE

YOU'RE STUCK IN A RUT OR THAT YOU'RE ATROPHYING IN SOME WAY.

I'VE DONE A DOCUMENTARY, WORKED ON A GRAPHIC NOVEL, DONE PLAYS

AND MOVIES, AND EVERY TIME I PUT MYSELF SLIGHTLY OUT OF MY

COMFORT ZONE, I FEEL ALIVE AGAIN, IN A WAY THAT I LIKE.

>> Stephen: I LIKE ALLILLS TEAR COOK'S DEFINITION OF A

PROFESSIONAL, I'M AN ADULT IN A STILTED WAY IS, BUT ALLISTER

COOK SAID A PROFESSIONAL IS ONE WHO DOES ONE'S BEST WHEN THEY

DON'T PARTICULARLY FEEL LIKE IT.

>> YES.

I AM A PROFESSIONAL ACTOR.

TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, WHEN I WAS A KID MY MOTHER HAD A SHAKER

SAYING ABOVE THE TOIL IT AND SAID MASTER ONE TALENT AND GOD

WILL GIVE YOU MORE.

MASTER CRAFT AND GET THREE.

I HAVE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO IT, I HAVE FELT DIRECTING AND

WRITING ARE ANCILLARY TO ACTING AND TO KIND OF APPRENTICE THOSE

OTHER PROFESSIONS, I LEARN ABOUT MY CHOSEN FIELD AND HELPS ME.

TAKE GOOD LORD BIRD FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, TO PLAY A PART LIKE

JOHN BROWN, IT REQUIRED EVERYTHING -- IT USED EVERY

ASPECT OF ME, AND PART OF BEING A GOOD ACTOR MEANS BEING A FULL

HUMAN BEING, AND DOING THESE EXPERIENCES, I DON'T MEAN

PROFESSIONAL -- I LIKE YOUR DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONAL.

MINE -- I WAS MEANING IT -- I LIKE THE DEFINITION OF AMATEUR

AS A DEFINITION OF SOMEBODY WHO DOES SOMETHING FOR LOVE.

>> Stephen: GOT IT.

AND I TRY TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THAT AMATEUR LOVE ASPECT

WHILE MAINTAINING THE DISCIPLINE AND INTEGRITY AND RELIABLENESS

OF A TRUE PROFESSIONAL.

>> Stephen: LIKE THAT ADDITIONAL APPRECIATION WE HAVE

FOR THE AMATEUR ATHLETE OR OLYMPIAN DOING IT AS AN

EXPRESSION OF THE FULLNESS OF THE TALENTS THEY WERE GIVEN.

>> OR WHEN YOU LISTEN TO YOUNG OR OLD PEOPLE PLAY MUSIC.

IF YOU SIT AND LISTEN TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE HANGING AROUND THE

HOUSE THAT AREN'T PROFESSIONAL SINGERS, SOMETIMES THE MOST

HONEST STUFF COMES OUT OF THEIR VOICE, YOU KNOW.

>> Stephen: YOU'VE EXPRESSED YOUR VOICE IN A NEW WAY THIS

TIME, A NEW ART.

YOU'VE WRITTEN A NOVEL "A BRIGHT RAY OF DARKNESS."

I'LL PUT IT OVER THERE SO YOU CAN GET THE BIG PICTURE.

IT'S ABOUT AN ACTOR PLAYING HOT SPUR IN HENRY FORD ON BROADWAY,

A ROLE YOU PLAYED, I UNDERSTAND.

WHY WAS THAT -- WHY DID YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER

OF YOUR BOOK?

BECAUSE HE'S NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE PLAY.

>> NO, AND I WANTED TO -- THE LAST TIME I WROTE A NOVEL IT WAS

CALLED "ASH WEDNESDAY," IT WAS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.

WHEN I WAS ON THE BOOK TOUR, I HAD A VISION OF WRITING A NOVEL

ABOUT THE THEATER, AND I HAD THIS -- I WANTED TO DO FOR THE

ACTOR WHAT MELVILLE DID FOR THE WHALER.

I THOUGHT, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF YOU COULD TAKE PEOPLE'S

SALACIOUS INTERESTS IN ACTING AND SHARE WITH THEM WHAT'S

ACTUALLY TRUE AND BEAUTIFUL ABOUT THE PROFESSION?

NOW, YES, I PLAYED HOTSPUR.

THIS IS A FICTIONAL ACCOUNT.

I TOOK 30 YEARS OF THEATER EXPERIENCE AND TRIED TO WEAVE IT

INTO ONE, YOU KNOW -- WELL, A NOVEL ABOUT A WHOLE THEATER

PRODUCTION, YOU KNOW, THE NOVEL STARTS IN THE FIRST DAY OF

REHEARSAL AND ENDS WHEN THEY STRIKE THE SET.

THAT WAS KIND OF THE ARCHITECTURE FOR THE NOVEL THAT

I HAD 20 YEARS AGO, AND I'VE JUST BEEN WORKING AT IT EVER

SINCE.

I THINK I REALIZED IF I WAS EVER GOING TO CONTRIBUTE AT WRITING,

I SHOULD PROBABLY DO THE FIRST THING WRITING TEACHERS TELL YOU

TO DO WHICH IS WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT I KNOW

SOMETHING ABOUT, IF I KNOW ANYTHING.

>> Stephen: ETHAN, WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, BUT STICK

AROUND, FOLKS, BECAUSE, WHEN WE COME BACK, ETHAN'S GOING TO TELL

US ABOUT ONE OF THE COOLEST AND FITTING THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS I

COULD IMAGINE RIGHT NOW.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.