Ethan Hawke’s Overlooked Mastery in “First Reformed”
Ethan Hawke gave an Oscar-worthy performance as Reverend Toller in Paul Schrader’s 2018 film, First Reformed. With a career spanning over 30 years across diverse genres and projects, Hawke remains one of the most dependable actors in modern cinema.
A Versatile Actor with Enduring Appeal
Known as a classic everyman with layered sophistication, Hawke seamlessly shifts between roles—from horror villain and action hero to introspective parts in auteur films. His 2025 projects, including Black Phone 2 and Richard Linklater's Blue Moon, showcase his wide range.
Career Highlight: “First Reformed”
In First Reformed, Hawke portrays a deeply troubled pastor in upstate New York, delivering a career-best performance marked by simmering rage and vulnerability. Working with Paul Schrader, a master of tortured character studies, Hawke's portrayal is haunting and powerful.
Oscar Snub and Industry Recognition
"He was rudely snubbed of an Oscar nomination despite proverbially setting the screen on fire with his simmering rage and haunted aura he provides to one of the 2010s' finest films."
Equally surprising was that Schrader, with his long career, only earned a single Oscar nomination for First Reformed, for Best Original Screenplay.
Summary
Ethan Hawke’s nuanced and haunting role in First Reformed represents a pinnacle in his career, making the absence of an Oscar nomination all the more baffling.
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