The same day Denzel Washington took home the Best Actor Academy Award for his role in Training Day, but his co-star Ethan Hawke lost the race in the Best Supporting Actor category to Jim Broadbent. But at that very moment, he got one valuable piece of advice from none other than Washington.
Ethan Hawke Shares What Advice He Received From Denzel Washington After Losing Oscar
Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington in Training Day (2001). Image Credit: Warner Bros
Being nominated for an Oscar itself is an honor. When someone reaches that position, everyone wants to go up to the stage and take home the coveted award.
Ethan Hawke did an outstanding performance as Jake Hoyt in Training Day and certainly, he was up for an Oscar win. But ultimately lost. But he thinks getting the nominations was enough.
During a recent interview on Max’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” series, the host asked Hawke about the advice Washington whispered to him.
“It’s better that you didn’t win. Losing was better,” Washington told him.
“You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status. That’s the way he thinks,” Hawke said about Washington’s advice in the moment on Oscars night. “That’s what I’m talking about playing with Babe Ruth. The Academy Award has more power, because Denzel has a couple. It didn’t elevate who he was.” (Via THR)
On being asked if he would have rather won the Oscar upon getting nominated for Training Day, Hawke continued, “No… I mean, yeah, I guess. I was at the Oscars sitting next to Denzel Washington and nominated against Ian McKellen. I had already won. It was impossible for me not to see it any other way.”
Ethan Hawke Compared Denzel Washington to Baseball Icon Babe Ruth
Earlier during the interview, Ethan Hawke compared working with Washington to what it would be like to play baseball with Ruth. Hawke explained, “I think when all is said and done, [Denzel is] the greatest actor of our generation.”
“I imagine, if you loved baseball, it would be interesting to see how Babe Ruth tied his shoes. You know? How he thought about various pitchers. The whole process,” he added. “But what creates that is a tremendous amount of energy and thought, what creates those moments.” (Via PEOPLE)
“And once you see somebody working that way, there’s all these other rooms that you can go into in the profession,” Hawke said.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Ayer, Training Day stars Hawke as Jake Hoyt and Washington as Alonzo Harris, two LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) narcotics officers.
While Hawke has earned four Oscar nominations (Boyhood, Before Midnight, Before Sunset, Training Day) since his debut in the 1980s, he is still to win an award. Meanwhile, Washington, who has been nominated for 10 Oscars, won Best Actor for his performance in Training Day – 12 years after winning Best Supporting Actor for Glory.
Watch Training Day on Netflix.
