It’s Absurd That Ethan Hawke Didn’t Get an Oscar Nomination for This Brilliant 2010s Drama You Can Watch for Free

It’s Absurd That Ethan Hawke Didn’t Get an Oscar Nomination

A Brilliant 2010s Drama You Can Watch for Free

Ethan Hawke gave a remarkable performance as Reverend Toller in Paul Schrader’s 2018 film, First Reformed. Over more than 30 years, Hawke has proven to be one of the most dependable actors across a wide range of genres and production scales.

An archetypal character actor with the presence of a movie star, Hawke’s recent roles in Black Phone 2 and Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon demonstrate his versatility. He excels both as a horror villain and an actor delivering nuanced performances for auteur directors.

Career Highlights and Evolution

Hawke is a classic everyman with a touch of sophistication, evolving significantly across his extensive career, including the well-known Before trilogy directed by Linklater. His work culminated in what many consider his best role in First Reformed, where he portrays a deeply troubled church pastor in upstate New York.

"He was rudely snubbed of an Oscar nomination despite proverbially setting the screen on fire with his simmering rage and haunted aura."

In collaboration with Paul Schrader, a master of tortured character studies, Hawke delivered a performance that remains one of the decade's finest. It is particularly frustrating that he was overlooked for an Oscar nomination despite the film's critical acclaim.

Paul Schrader's Recognition

Even more surprising than Hawke’s snub was that First Reformed secured only one Oscar nomination in Paul Schrader's long and celebrated career — for Best Original Screenplay.

"The stirring psychological drama about the all-consuming fear of global apocalypse due to global warming earned the film's lone nomination for Best Original Screenplay."

This nomination acknowledged Schrader’s skillful writing, but sadly overlooked Hawke’s intense, unforgettable performance.

Author's Summary

Ethan Hawke’s powerful portrayal in First Reformed deserved Oscar recognition but was overlooked, highlighting an unfortunate gap between critical acclaim and awards.

Collider — 2025-11-06