Ethan Hawke reflects on Hollywood success as fifth Oscar nomination arrives

25 years after his first Oscar nod for Training Day, Ethan Hawke reflected on his Hollywood journey after earning another Academy Award nomination.

Speaking with People Magazine, Ethan admitted that it feels surreal as he prepares for the upcoming award, where he is nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Blue Moon.

He said, "I was the youngest in my category and now I'm the oldest."

"And it happened so fast. It feels like six years ago that Training Day came out to me in my brain, so it's hard not to think about a lifetime spent doing this. I'm incredibly grateful to be here and to still be doing this dance because I enjoy it a lot, but it does make you think a lot about time," Ethan added.

Furthermore, Ethan Hawke also noted about how he will tell his younger self now about career milestones, stating, "I was having a great time in 2001. I don't know if I needed a lot of advice."

"I knew how fortunate I was to be there, to get to do this whole event with Denzel. He's one of the greatest actors who've ever lived, and so to get to ride shotgun — that wasn't lost on me what a special experience that was," he added.

The actor went on to add, "I've always been patient. It wasn't like I was here like a bag of anxiety [or] nerves. I enjoyed every second, and I'm trying to do the same now."

Ethan Hawke stars as Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon, which was released in October 2025.