Actor Ethan Hawke, currently starring in the thriller The Black Phone and the documentary The Last Movie Stars on HBO Max, is best known for his low-key drama films, with the Marvel show Moon Knight marking his second comic book project after Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. In an interview, he also took the opportunity to defend controversial Marvel statements from the likes of Scorsese and Coppola.
"If people like Scorsese and Coppola don't come out and tell their truth that there are more important things than making money, who will?"
"It's easy for them, but it has to be someone in society who says: "Hey, everybody, this isn't 'Fanny and Alexander'." If you keep reviewing these movies that are basically made for 14-year-olds as if they were "Fanny and Alexander" or "Winter Light," who the hell is going to get to make "Winter Light"? I appreciate the older members of society reminding people not to set the bar too low. I know it makes some people think they're pompous, but they're not pompous."
Hawke also commented that Marvel is more "actor-friendly" than they are director-focused:
"That group of people are extremely actor-friendly. They may not be director-friendly, and that may be what Scorsese and Coppola are talking about. But they love actors. I think Kevin Feige had a great thing happen with Robert Downey Jr. and he understood that Downey's passion was a big part of the success. When actors are enthusiastic about a role, audiences get enthusiastic about seeing them. Feige understood the algorithm there, so they're extremely respectful of the process. The best thing about "Moon Knight" for me was the Oscar performance. It's a gonzo thing that happens to have a gigantic budget - a pretty different performance."
What do you think of the ongoing Marvel debate?