Ethan Hawke Calls Out Absurdity of Casting Based on Instagram Followers
It seems like Hollywood is in the midst of a social media identity crisis! Just a week after Maya Hawke shared some eyebrow-raising insights on the casting process in the age of Instagram, her dad Ethan Hawke jumped into the conversation with both feet, and, let’s just say, he’s definitely not here for it. Speaking at the Berlin Film Festival, Ethan recounted his own bizarre experiences where directors recommended actors solely based on their follower counts. “Sometimes I’ll be setting a movie up and someone will say, ‘Oh, you should cast Suzie.’ I’m like, ‘Who is she?’ ‘She has 10 million followers.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, cool, has she acted before?’ ‘No, but…’ And you’re like, ‘Wow, so this is going to help me get the movie made? This is crazy,’” he quipped.
Maya had previously opened up on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, revealing that in some casting scenarios, directors are presented with dubious requirements like a mandatory “follower count” for actors. She noted, “they hand me a sheet with the amount of collective followers I have to get of the cast.” Talk about a strange new world, right? Both Maya and Ethan appear to feel the pinch of the industry’s shifting standards: gone are the days when talent alone could snag you a role.
In this social media-driven landscape, Ethan emphasized the importance of substance over superficiality when it comes to acting careers. “I mean, go to the gym if you want to, but that doesn’t make you … great. He’s so much more than that,” he said, nodding toward the legendary Robert De Niro. Sounds like a strong message that might resonate with younger actors today!
On a lighter note, Ethan recognizes that his daughter is his very own Instagram guru, saying, “She’s like, ‘Dad, you need an Instagram account… That was a terrible post, Dad, get rid of it.’” Clearly, Maya is navigating this new world of crossover between artistry and social media savvy much better than some of her contemporaries. The conundrum, of course, is: how do you find artistry in a landscape where followers may trump talent? As Maya said, “the industry keeps changing, and you have to change with it.” Buckle up, folks; it looks like we’re in for quite a ride.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and Variety, People Magazine, CinemaBlend
