Maya Hawke Discusses Nepotism and Career Path
American actress and singer Maya Hawke, daughter of Hollywood actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, recently shared her thoughts on her career and background. In an interview with The Times, the 25-year-old reflected on the privilege she has enjoyed, stating she is “comfortable with not deserving” her life and opportunities.
Hawke, who plays Robin in the popular Netflix series Stranger Things, acknowledged the complexities of the word “deserves.” She expressed, "There are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway." She emphasized that avoiding her career path wouldn’t benefit anyone.
Discussing the initial choices she faced, she mentioned considering a path that involved changing her name and appearance to gain roles. Ultimately, she decided to maintain her identity, accepting that being criticized is part of being in a fortunate position.
Her family life, she noted, is “really honest and positive,” which she values above public opinion. Besides acting, Hawke has ventured into music, recently releasing her third album, Chaos Angel. However, she felt mixed emotions when realizing her gigs attracted primarily Stranger Things fans, indicating a concern that her music might be secondary to her acting fame.
Hawke also reflected on the controversy surrounding her casting as Flowerchild in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, acknowledging that nepotism likely played a role.
In addition to Stranger Things, Maya Hawke has appeared in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City (2023), voiced Anxiety in Inside Out 2, and was directed by her father in the film Wildcat (2023).