Ethan Hawke explains the ‘backbone’ mentality that helps him handle criticism

Ethan Hawke isn’t letting outside opinions get to him. 

During a recent interview, the 55-year-old actor spoke candidly about the need to stay grounded when working on films that might not resonate with everyone.

Hawke explained that being in the public eye means accepting that not every project will land the same way with every viewer. 

“If you’re going to be in the public sphere, you have to have a backbone,” he told People. “You’re not going to please all the people all the time, and every movie isn’t for everybody.”

He recalled instances where fans have shared wildly different reactions to the same film, with some saying they’ve watched it repeatedly and loved it, while others found it disappointing. 

“I’ve done some movies that I’ll meet somebody and they will tell me they’ve seen it six times. They love it, and they show their friends, and somebody else will say, ‘Why did you make that movie? It was awful, I turned it off,’” he said, adding, “Neither one is right or wrong. It just wasn’t for them.”

Hawke currently stars as Samuel Murphy in The Weight, a film set in 1933 Oregon that follows a man forced into a labor camp after his wife’s death, who later takes on a dangerous mission in exchange for his freedom.

Despite audiences having mixed reactions to his projects in the past, Hawke said he isn’t nervous about how The Weight will be received, since he personally believes in the film. 

“Sometimes you’re jittery if you don’t like the movie because you think, well, maybe other people will, maybe I’m wrong and you’re hoping you’re wrong so you’re jittery about it,” he explains. “But I know I like this movie, so I’m not nervous.”

He explained that his real anxiety tends to show up earlier in the process, during production, when questions about whether the script, location, and creative choices are right start to weigh on him.

“I get jitters before I shoot. Is this gonna work? Is this the right set? Is this the right location? Did we make the right decisions? Is this the script really done, or are we ready? Those kinds of things give me the jitters,” the actor adds.

He also described the experience of filming in remote locations and collaborating with a first-time director as exactly the kind of challenge and excitement he continues to seek out in his career, alongside the opportunity to work with actors he admires.

The Weight is now playing in theaters.