Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke reminisced about his early days as an actor, revealing that he used to compete with now-friend Billy Crudup for roles. Hawke, 55, shared this anecdote during an appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’. He mentioned how, as young actors, they would audition together, not realizing there was space for everyone to succeed.
Hawke humorously recalled how he would often hear Crudup’s audition before his own and found it irritatingly good. He even had to turn down a play once to do a movie, allowing Crudup to take the role, which subsequently boosted his career. The two actors have collaborated on various projects, including a Stoppard trilogy of plays, earning critical acclaim for their performances.
Ethan Hawke recently received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of lyricist Lorenz Hart in the 2025 film Blue Moon directed by Richard Linklater. This nomination marked a significant milestone in Hawke’s career, adding to his previous Oscar nods in different categories such as Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.
