Ethan Hawke Could Tell His ‘Dead Poets Society’ Co-Star Robin Williams Was Suffering From Crippling Depression: “All That Power And That Charisma Came At A Certain Cost”
Ethan Hawke was only 18 years old while shooting the Oscar-winning Dead Poets Society, but says he was “aware” of Robin Williams‘ struggles with mental health on set.
During a sit-down with Tracy Smith on CBS Sunday Morning, Hawke was asked if he is able to watch director Peter Weir‘s 1989 drama following Williams’ death by suicide in 2014. Williams was 63 years old when he died.
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“It does not fundamentally change the way I watch the movie because even at 18, I was aware of the complexity of his emotional life,” he explained. “I’ve had a lot of depression in my family, and it was obvious to me that all that power and that charisma came at a certain cost. He was a deeply, deeply sensitive person who was highly attuned to the energy of a room.”
Hawke, whose recent work includes FX’s The Lowdown and director Richard Linklater‘s Blue Moon, recalled a moment on set of Williams “making up lines” and receiving praise for it. Later on, Hawke spotted Williams “hiding” in a corner “in the dark, by himself,” a moment that seemed to provide more clarity for him about Williams.
“Ah, ok, makes a lot more sense to me now, actually,” he remembered thinking. “It was a lot. It was taxing. There’s a lot of stories about clowns and the happiness that they give, and at what cost.”
Hawke continued, “I say all that to say the end of his life does not define his life for me. When I watch the movie, I think of the spirit of the man that I knew on those days and how powerful it was, and how much he weathered that storm of his own psyche for us and for other people. I admire him tremendously. There aren’t two of him.”
Hawke highlighted this as a reminder that “there aren’t two of any of us.”
“So figuring out who that person is, that’s the life’s work,” he added.
Dead Poets Society is streaming on Hulu.
If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.
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