How Maya, Ethan Hawke decided to team up for 'Wildcat'
Ethan Hawke and Maya Hawke—the renowned father-daughter duo—joined forces to bring a biographical film about American novelist Flannery O'Connor to the screen, titled Wildcat. The film garnered attention, especially following its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on September 1. Now, in a recent interview with Variety, the happening duo behind Wildcat shed light on the dynamics of their collaboration and the story behind their decision to work together on this project.
Why does this story matter?
Wildcat features Maya in the lead role as O'Connor and is directed and co-written by her father, Ethan, along with Shelby Gaines. O'Connor—born in Georgia in 1925—lived her life on the white side of the segregated South, making her a complex and controversial figure. Her legacy has faced scrutiny due to the inclusion of the N-word in her work. Notably, Wildcat stands out as a low-budget 1950s period piece, which was filmed over a span of just 25 days, reportedly.
Laura Linney joined the Hawkes in collaboration
Ozark actor Laura Linney, a close friend of Ethan since their work together in The Seagull in 1992, plays O'Connor's mother in Wildcat. The film explores the complex bond between mother and daughter, suggesting that O'Connor's unique qualities as a writer were rooted in her Georgia upbringing. This collaboration brings together the talents of the Hawkes and Linney for a singular vision.
When Maya approached Ethan to bring this story to life
In another interview with Vanity Fair, Maya shared her perspective on her father's role in directing and writing this film. She noted, "It felt connected to my dad...He's always talked about his relationship with his own religion and coming from, in some ways, a religious Southern background." On the other hand, Ethan's reaction to his daughter's initial pitch was insightful, as he mentioned, "I absorbed what she said...I started seeing the possibility of making a movie about imagination and nature."
'I couldn't care less,' stated Ethan on intimacy scenes
With Ethan directing and Maya portraying characters from O'Connor's short stories, the film includes some sex scenes with her co-stars Cooper Hoffman and Rafael Casal. Talking about filming intimate scenes, Ethan stated, "We were so comfortable with it. I couldn't care less." Meanwhile, Maya jokingly added, "We made sure to have an intimacy coordinator on set for them (Hoffman and Casal). So that they felt safe and comfortable and not like they were being spied on...by some creepy dad."
Father-daughter duo addressed nepotism concerns
Maya and Ethan defended their work together on Wildcat amid the ongoing "nepo baby" discourse. Maya, who also serves as a producer on the film, candidly acknowledged occasional moments of insecurity about working alongside her father. She expressed, "My dad has been a massive teacher for me, and we want to work together." In a light-hearted tone, Ethan chimed in, "Put simply, I'm a nepo dad! And I'm not embarrassed about it."
