Ethan Hawke on Sinister: The Film That Changed Everything

There’s something about Ethan Hawke that’s hard not to appreciate, especially as he’s settled into this later stage of his career. Whether he’s taking the mickey out of artificial intelligence on stage or just being a decent bloke off-screen, he’s managed to keep things interesting. Early on, he dodged the usual heartthrob route, but still anchored one of the most memorable screen romances in Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise. Through the ‘90s and early 2000s, he took on a modern spin on Dickens’ Great Expectations, a contemporary Hamlet, and the Oscar-winning crime drama Training Day alongside Denzel Washington.

But it’s the more recent years that have really shown Hawke’s willingness to mix things up. He’s dabbled in horror, indie dramas, biopics, and even stepped behind the camera a few times. These days, he seems keen to try just about anything, and audiences are all the better for it. What’s interesting is that Hawke himself is fully aware of this shift, and he’s embraced it wholeheartedly. According to him, it all kicked off with the 2012 film Sinister.

Finding New Ground in Genre Films

Directed by Scott Derrickson, Sinister follows a writer, played by Hawke, who stumbles across a stash of disturbing home videos in his new house. While the film itself might not be a classic, it marked a real turning point for Hawke. After years of carving out his own path, he was ready to lean into the familiar tropes of genre films. In a 2025 interview with ScreenDaily, he said,

I always say that’s the start of the second half of my career. I felt reborn with that movie because it was going back to genre filmmaking.

He also recalled his first acting mentor, Joe Dante, who directed him in 1985’s Explorers. Dante’s love for horror rubbed off on Hawke, showing him that there’s plenty of room for strong performances even within the boundaries of genre work. Since then, Hawke has made horror something of a speciality, even taking on villainous roles.

Embracing the Dark Side

One standout example is the 2021 Blumhouse film The Black Phone, where Hawke played a child-snatching serial killer. He brought such intensity to the role that it was easy to forget he was the same actor from the Before trilogy. This willingness to transform himself has set him apart from many of his peers, who often stick to leading man roles opposite younger co-stars.

Hawke’s recent choices have seen him become a genuine character actor, unafraid to take risks or try something new. Whether it’s horror, biopics, or indie projects, he’s managed to reinvent himself time and again, keeping things fresh for both himself and the punters watching along.

A Career Defined by Change

Say what you like about the quality of some horror flicks or biographical dramas, but if they keep giving Hawke the chance to show a new side of himself, there’s no reason to stop. He’s proof that a career in film doesn’t have to follow a straight line, and sometimes, the best work comes from taking a few chances and seeing where things land.