Sydney Sweeney Tells Ethan Hawke 'I Wish You Were My Dad'
The Euphoria star and veteran actor shared deeply personal moments during their candid Variety interview, revealing stage fright confessions, parenting regrets, and boxing dreams that left viewers touched.
During a recent episode of Variety's Actors on Actors series, Sydney Sweeney and Ethan Hawke delivered one of the most genuine and heartfelt conversations viewers have seen in years. The 28-year-old Anyone but You star and the 55-year-old Dead Poets Society veteran opened up about everything from career fears to family struggles, creating moments that felt more like a therapy session than a typical Hollywood interview.
Sweeney Opens Up About Her Greatest Fear
When Hawke asked about her theater experience, Sweeney made a surprising admission that caught many off guard. "I have horrible stage fright. I have terrible stage fright. Because I didn't grow up doing it," she confessed, her vulnerability evident in the moment.
The Before Sunrise actor immediately jumped in with encouragement, explaining that her fear stemmed from "inexperience" and reassuring her that "if you did it five times, it would go away." His fatherly response seemed to comfort Sweeney, who admitted she'd "probably enjoy it" if given the chance.
Hawke didn't stop there, praising her work and suggesting she'd thrive on stage because "you get to live in it." He even promised to "drag you out" to see theater, adding "You won't watch. You'll be there," in what became one of their most touching exchanges.
A Father's Honest Reflections
The conversation took a deeper turn when Hawke discussed his daughter Maya Hawke's artistic journey. He revealed knowing from age four that she would become "an artist, and a very good one," but also shared painful honesty about his parenting.
"There were a lot of things about her childhood which were really, really hard and complicated, and things I regret for her," Hawke admitted, showing the kind of raw honesty rarely seen in celebrity interviews.
He shared a story about Maya's response to a teacher's concern about her happiness at 13. Instead of a simple answer, she challenged the question itself, saying "Do you really think that's the question? I don't think that's a very interesting question. I think there's a lot more interesting questions than whether I'm happy or not."
Dreams Deferred and Lessons Learned
In a lighter moment, Hawke revealed his short-lived boxing career inspired by Rocky. After six months of training, he got into one real fight and quickly realized the sport wasn't for him. "I thought I was a pretty good defensive boxer. But the guy was punching my hands so hard that I was hitting myself," he laughed, admitting "I did not like losing. I did not like getting beaten up."
The actor also discussed his decade-long journey to make Blue Moon, explaining how director Richard Linklater told him he "wasn't ready" for years. They spent nearly ten years doing readings every 18 months until Linklater finally declared they were prepared to move forward.
The Most Heartwarming Moment
As their conversation wound down, Sweeney delivered the line that melted hearts everywhere. After Hawke expressed how much he enjoyed talking with her, she responded with complete sincerity: "Well, I'm incredibly honored to sit here and have this conversation with you. This has been- I'll never forget this. Thank you! No, you're incredible. So, I'm sitting here being like, 'Man, I wish you were my dad.'"
The moment perfectly captured what made their entire interview so special - two actors from different generations connecting on a deeply human level, sharing fears, dreams, and genuine affection that transcended the typical promotional interview format.