Ethan Hawke honors Robert Redford's contributions to his career

Ethan Hawke has been cherishing memories with Robert Redford following the Oscar winner’s death earlier this week.

While attending the premiere of The Lowdown at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Hawke spoke to Us Weekly about the impact Redford had on his career.

“He picked Before Sunrise to open the [Sundance Film] Festival, and he introduced it,” Hawke recalled.

The actor explained how the gesture boosted him and director Richard Linklater during a pivotal moment in their careers.

“It was a big moment in [director] Richard Linklater and I’s life just to have Robert Redford take us under his wing and say, ‘I believe in you guys,’ and to open the festival with [our] movie,” he shared.

Hawke added that Redford recognized the film's value when many critics did not. 

“We were getting bad reviews and stuff at the time. Redford was one of the first guys to get that movie and to get what was interesting about it.”

Redford, who died on 16th September 2025, at 89, left behind a legacy of championing independent filmmakers through Sundance.

Looking back, Hawke reflected on how Redford's support helped shape his confidence. 

“Everybody wanted the director of Slacker to make Reality Bites 2 — and that’s not what he did. He did something else,” Hawke explained. 

“Redford was like, ‘That’s cool.’ And we were like, ‘Hey, Redford thinks we’re cool. Maybe we are cool?’”