Actor Robin Williams was one of the most beloved stars to ever work in Hollywood. The actor worked in multiple commercially successful and culturally significant films such as Jumanji, Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting, Alladin, Good Morning, Vietnam, and more. He was a legendary artist who sadly passed away in 2014 by suicide.

One of Wiliams’ legendary roles is that of the English teacher John Keating in the drama Dead Poets Society. The film was also known for being the breakthrough role of actor Ethan Hawke, who was nineteen years old at the time. The actor had good memories of Williams and shared that the Flubber star was instrumental in legitimizing his acting career.

Ethan Hawke’s Breakthrough In Dead Poets Society

A still from Dead Poets Society

The coming-of-age drama Dead Poets Society has been a pop cultural landmark in the genre. Mostly known for its inspiring and quotable lines by Robin Williams’ John Keating, the film was a success upon release, earning over $235 million at the box office against a $16 million budget. The film also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

The production of the film was mildly troubled as it was originally supposed to be helmed by director Jeff Kanew, who wanted Liam Neeson as the English teacher. However, he was replaced after Robin Williams reportedly refused to work with Kanew, after which Peter Weird took over directing duties.

Ethan Hawke in Dead Poets Society

The film is also known for being one of the initial performances of Ethan Hawke, who plays the student Todd Handerson. Dead Poets Society was Hawke’s breakthrough performance, netting him multiple offers after his appearance in the film. The actor mentioned that he was about to quit acting after filming, but then got flooded with offers. He said to The Guardian,

“I decided I didn’t want to be an actor and I went back to college, to NYU as an English major. But then the [film’s] success was so monumental that I was getting offers to be in such interesting movies and be in such interesting places, and it seemed silly to pursue anything else.”
While Hawke got his early success with the film, Robin Williams received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for the film.

Robin Williams Helped Ethan Hawke With His Career

Ethan Hawke and Robin Williams

Networking and contacts are everything to make it big in Hollywood and having the backing of a star like Robin Williams in the ‘90s was a huge deal. Ethan Hawke mentioned on The Graham Norton Show that he thought he was being too serious for Williams on the sets of Dead Poets Society, who was repeatedly always trying to have fun. Hawke said,

“[Robin Williams] was incredibly funny and he was very relaxed…He would just improv constantly…And I really wanted to be a serious actor. I had read Stanivslaski…and I really wanted to be in character and I didn’t want to laugh. The more I didn’t laugh, the more insane he got…I thought he hated me because he would constantly lay into me.”

Hawke said that Williams would point to this quality of his and would make fun of him, which irked Ethan Hawke even more. He also said that Williams would start berating his character Todd Handerson as soon as action was called. However, Williams reportedly surprised Ethan Hawke when he recommended him to his agent after the film ended.

“After the movie was over, I had to go back to school. I got this call and it was from a big Hollywood agent. He said, ‘I am Robin Williams’s agent and he says you are going to be somebody and that I should sign you.’ I went, ‘Really?’”

Ethan Hawke went on to reveal that Robin Williams got him his first agent in Hollywood, who still remains his agent. Hawke has since starred in acclaimed films such as the Before trilogy, Boyhood, Gattaca, Reality Bites, and more.