Ethan Hawke calls Oscar nod a full-circle moment

A fifth Oscar nomination, 25 years after the first, has Ethan Hawke genuinely reflecting on a lifetime spent in the acting game.

Hawke's latest nomination and full-circle moment

• Ethan Hawke scored a Best Actor nod for his role in Blue Moon.
• Training Day marked his first nomination roughly 25 years ago.
• Hawke was the youngest nominee in his category back then, and now he's the oldest.
• Four prior nominations haven't translated into a win yet.

His memories of working with Denzel Washington

• Hawke starred alongside Denzel Washington as a Los Angeles police officer in Training Day.
• Riding shotgun on a project with Washington was not lost on him.
• Washington is someone Hawke considers one of the greatest actors who has ever lived.
• Younger Hawke apparently needed zero advice, because he already knew how lucky he was.

What makes Blue Moon such a demanding role

• Hawke portrays lyricist Lorenz Hart in Richard Linklater's Blue Moon.
• Hart ranks among the most challenging parts he's ever taken on.
• Physical work, vocal demands, movement, and complex ideas all came into play simultaneously.
• He described the whole thing as anything but a light lift.

Hawke's mindset then and now

• By his own account, patience has been a constant throughout his career.
• Anxiety and nerves were never really part of his approach to the job.
• Enjoying every second is something he's actively trying to carry into his current work.