Contrasting his experiences with Hollywood’s blockbuster franchises, Ethan Hawke shared his profound admiration for the films of Richard Linklater during a master class at the Venice Film Festival. Hawke, known for his roles in various popular films, took the opportunity to reflect on the differences between mainstream tentpole movies like Star Wars and Harry Potter and the more introspective works of Linklater.

Hawke humorously noted that while he enjoys movies like Star Wars and Harry Potter, they often leave him with a sense of longing. “I’ve seen them countless times, and I love them,” he admitted. “But when they end, I feel a bit let down that I’m not a wizard or a Jedi. I walk through life wishing I were a Jedi.” In stark contrast, Linklater’s films evoke a different kind of magic. “When you watch a Richard Linklater film, you come away feeling like you’ve truly connected with another human being,” he explained. “It’s not about grand fantasies; it’s about real human experiences and connections.”

Drawing from an old Zen proverb, Hawke emphasized the grounded wonder that Linklater’s films inspire. “You don’t have to walk on water; you get to walk on Earth,” he quoted. “Isn’t that incredible? Linklater’s movies remind us that simply being alive—breathing, seeing whales and giraffes—is a miracle in itself if we don’t exaggerate it.”

Hawke also reflected on his long-standing collaboration with Linklater, highlighting their work on nine or ten films, depending on how one counts. This includes significant projects like the Before trilogy and Boyhood. Hawke credited these experiences with shaping his mature perspective on filmmaking. “Making Before Sunrise marked the start of my adult relationship with movies,” he said, acknowledging the deep friendship that grew from working with Linklater.

Their latest project, Blue Moon, delves into the life of Lorenz Hart, the talented songwriter who partnered with Richard Rodgers before Rodgers formed his famous duo with Oscar Hammerstein II. Set during the 1943 opening night of the musical Oklahoma!, the film has been a long time coming. Hawke shared that Linklater first showed him the script 12 years ago but felt they needed to wait due to Hawke’s youthful appearance. “‘You’re still too attractive,’ Linklater told me back then,” Hawke recalled with a smile. “We needed to wait until I looked a bit less so.”

The green light for Blue Moon finally came when Linklater saw Hawke on a talk show last year. “He called me up and said, ‘Hey, I saw you on Jimmy Fallon… let’s make Blue Moon, we’re ready,'” Hawke recounted humorously. “I thought, ‘go to hell.'”

In their conversation, Hawke also delved into his deep passion for the craft of filmmaking. He spoke about the “geometry” and “math” behind creating a compelling film. “There’s a specific geometry to all film genres,” he explained. “The rules are different for indie art films compared to horror movies or westerns or romantic comedies.”

This understanding of cinematic structure has informed Hawke’s approach to his performances. “Realizing this helped me diversify my work,” he said. “For instance, Anthony Hopkins’ performances in dramas are vastly different from his roles in horror films. The more you understand this ‘math,’ the better storyteller you become.”

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Watch the full conversation with Ethan Hawke in the video above for deeper insights into his views on film and his enduring collaboration with Richard Linklater.