Ethan Hawke, star of ‘Black Phone 2’, on Robin Williams: “Everyone was laughing and he was hiding in a dark corner”

Ethan Hawke is now one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, with Black Phone 2 placing him once again in the spotlight. But long before awards buzz and box office success, Hawke was just a teenage newcomer when he shared the screen with Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society—an experience that left a permanent mark on his life.

Williams was already a towering figure in entertainment, beloved for his boundless energy and unmatched charisma. Yet behind the laughter, Hawke shared recently with CBS Sunday Morning, there was another side—one far darker—that he noticed even back then.

Everyone was laughing—and he was alone in the dark

Robin Williams died in 2014 in one of the most tragic ways imaginable. He was found hanging, with a towel and belt around his neck, a death that later brought renewed attention to his long struggle with mental illness. According to Hawke, the signs were there decades earlier.

“Even at 18, I was aware of the complexity of his emotional life,” reflected the now 55-year-old actor. “I’ve had a lot of depression in my family, and it was obvious to me that all that power and that charisma came at a certain cost. He was a deeply, deeply sensitive person who was highly attuned to the energy of a room.”

Hawke recalls a moment on set that has stayed with him ever since. Williams was improvising lines, the crew was roaring with laughter, and praise filled the room. But shortly afterward, when Hawke stepped away to grab a glass of water, he found something unexpected.

Williams was “hiding in the corner, in the dark, by himself,” Hawke shared.

Why Robin Williams’ tragic end doesn’t define him

For Hawke, that contrast—public joy and private pain—captures the paradox of Robin Williams.

“It was a lot. It was taxing,” he reflected. “There’s a lot of stories about clowns and the happiness that they give and at what cost. So, I say all that to say, the end of his life does not define his life to me.”

When Hawke revisits Dead Poets Society, he doesn’t think about the tragedy that would come years later. Instead, he remembers the man he knew on set.

“I think of the spirit of the man I knew in those days and how powerful it was and how much he weathered that storm of his psyche for us and for other people.”

The life lessons Hawke took from Dead Poets Society

Though it was only the second film of what would become a decades-long career, Dead Poets Society proved transformative for Hawke—not just professionally, but personally.

“I didn’t realize how much I was being taught and how that sustained me through negative criticism,” he said.

The movie taught him something fundamental about acting—and about life.

“There’s not any rules about being a great actor,” Hawke explained. “Drop dead. So, you don’t like it. Suck an egg. It’s not my problem you don’t like it. You don’t know what great acting is anymore than I do. Those ideas were given to me by playing the movie.”

It’s a philosophy that has guided him ever since—one forged in the shadow of a brilliant, complicated mentor who gave the world laughter, even when he himself was struggling to survive the darkness.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.