Ethan Hawke felt 'so comfortable' directing daughter Maya Hawke's sex scenes

07 September 2023 , 17:16

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Ethan and Maya worked on their latest movie project together (Image: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)

Ethan Hawke has admitted that he didn't find it awkward directing sex scenes starring his daughter Maya Hawke.

The pair worked together on their new film Wildcat and have been busy promoting the movie despite the Hollywood SAG-AFTRA strike thanks to the terms of an interim agreement that allow it. The flick - directed by Ethan, 52, - sees Maya, 25, star as American novelist Flannery O'Connor.

Ethan also co-wrote the script for the drama alongside Shelby Gaines. Stranger Things star Maya came up with the idea for the movie herself as per Variety.

Maya plays six different characters from O'Connor's short stories in the film as well as taking on the role of the author herself. The differing personas were what saw her have to act out sexually intimate scenes in front of her father.

Ethan and Maya debuted Wildcat at the Telluride Film Festival (Getty Images for ABA)

Ethan and Maya found working together on the scenes easy (Getty Images)

Speaking to Variety the pair discussed how it didn't phase them - and even joked how it was her male co-stars who really felt the pressure of performing in front of her father. Ethan said: "We were so comfortable with it. I couldn't care less."

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Maya then confessed that they made sure they had someone on hand to help co-stars Rafael Casal and Cooper Hoffman - the son of late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman - feel at ease with their work. Ethan admitted he thought that it could have been "weird" for her on-screen partners and so they wanted ti make sure both of them were taken care of.

Maya said: "We made sure to have an intimacy coordinator on set for them. So that they felt safe and comfortable and not like they were being spied on." Ethan then joked as he interrupted: "...By some creepy dad."

The pair joked about taking care of her co-stars instead (Todd Williamson/JanuaryImages/REX/Shutterstock)

Maya also discussed how she felt inspired by the novelist and related to her after reading some of her work. She said: "This clearly talented, smart young woman was very worried that she was bad...when she wanted to be great.

"I wanted to be great, and I was so afraid that I was terrible at the things I loved." While a general release date for the movie is yet to be confirmed it premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado on September 1.

Ayeesha Walsh