Ethan Hawke’s long career in Hollywood has been a fruitful enterprise; the actor has been a consistent presence onstage and on-screen since his star-making role in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society. He has gone on to write novels, adapt and appear in numerous Broadway productions, and act in enduringly popular movies such as Boyhood, Great Expectations, Reality Bites, and the Before trilogy. His latest project, the six-part CNN Films/HBO Max documentary series The Last Movie Stars, once again finds him in the director’s chair. With Martin Scorsese as executive producer, the project covers the decades-long partnership, both personal and professional, between Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. On the occasion of its release, Hawke shares his key components to the good life. —Ashley Baker
Airline: An airline to heaven that flies straight to eternity.
Airport: I don’t know why, but I really like Albuquerque.
Alibi: “I was deep in prayer.”
Bag: A saddlebag.
Bedtime: Just after sunrise.
Bike: A Citi Bike or a Triumph motorcycle.
Birthday: Poker party after a movie.
Boyfriend/girlfriend: “Cherry” from The Outsiders.
Breakfast, weekday: None.
Breakfast, weekend: Eggs over easy, green juice, Bloody Mary, pancakes, avocado toast, coffee, cinnamon bun, croissant, toast and jam, fresh orange juice, and a small chocolate croissant.
Car: A forest-green ’68 Shelby Cobra.
Child: They don’t need to be perfect.
Cocktail: Michelada.
Cocktail appetizer: Chips and salsa.
Couple: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Date: Riding bikes to Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Diet: All you can eat.
Dinner, weekday: Pizza.
Dinner, weekend: A Mexican fiesta.
Disguise: My mask from The Black Phone.
Dress: One that’s on the floor.
Drive: Cabot Trail, in Nova Scotia.
Enemy: A dead one.
Escape: The N.B.A.
Family: I always liked the Joads from The Grapes of Wrath.
First Lady: Michelle Obama.
Fit: Anything that’s not too tight.
Flaw: I’m too honest.
Foil: The truth.
Friend: One who can forgive.
Good-bye: “‘Good-bye’ is too good a word. So I’ll just say fare-thee-well.”
Hideaway: A tree house.
Hotel:
The Hotel Chelsea during the 60s.
Insult: No such thing as a good one.
Jacket: A Levi’s jean jacket with sheepskin collar and lining.
Last Meal: Strawberry shortcake.
Lunch, weekday: At Rice & Miso, in Brooklyn.
Movie: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Name: A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
Neighbors: Joe and Cynthia.
Nonfiction book: The Method, by Isaac Butler.
Pants: Army pants.
Pet: A raccoon.
Piece of advice: Any that was actually asked for.
President: Willie Nelson.
Restaurant: Rucola, in Brooklyn.
Ride: Horseback.
Saying: “Carpe diem.”
Second spouse: Mine.
Shoes: Converse high-tops.
Singer: One who’s honest.
Spouse: One who makes you laugh.
STORM: Storms never last.
Street: I like ’em all.
Television series: I’m partial to The Good Lord Bird.
Theme song to your life: “To Live Is to Fly,” by Townes Van Zandt.
Time of day: Every second.
Toast: Gratitude.
Vacation: A staycation.
Victim: An audience.
View: Your face.
Wake-up time: Early.
Weekend bag: A glove box.
Work of art: The second side of Abbey Road.
WORKS OF FICTION: Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy, and The Complete Stories, by Flannery O’Connor.
WRITING IMPLEMENT: Uni-ball roller fine-point micro tip .5.
Ethan’s Essentials
