'Dead Poets...': Ethan Hawke was 'aware' of Robin Williams's struggles
What's the story
Ethan Hawke, who starred alongside Robin Williams in the 1989 classic Dead Poets Society, has opened up about the late actor's emotional struggles. Speaking to CBS Sunday Morning, he said he was aware of the "complexity" of Williams's emotional life even as a teenager. "Even at 18, I was aware of the complexity of his emotional life." Williams died by suicide in 2014. He was suffering from Lewy body dementia.
Emotional insight
'All that power and charisma came at a certain cost'
Hawke further elaborated on his observations, saying, "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 sensitive person who was highly attuned to the energy of a room." He also recalled an instance where he found Williams alone in the dark after filming.
Hawke's perspective
'The end of his life does not define his life'
Hawke said, "It was a lot. It was taxing." "There's a lot of stories about clowns and the happiness they give and at what cost." "So I say all that to say, the end of his life does not define his life to me." He added, "When I watch the movie, I think of the spirit of the man I knew in those days and how powerful it was and how much he weathered that storm of his psyche for us."
Career reflection
'Dead Poets Society' and its impact on Hawke's career
Looking back at his role in Dead Poets Society, Hawke said it taught him how to deal with negative criticism. "I didn't realize how much I was being taught and how that sustained me through negative criticism," he said. The film marked his second feature film after Explorers, and Hawke has since received four Oscar nominations in his career.