Ethan Hawke‘s career has been through several phases over the decades, from sentimental dramas like Dead Poets Society to brutal horror blockbusters like The Black Phone, and everything in between.
One of Hawke’s most underrated roles, however, arrived in 1997 with Gattaca. This sci-fi thriller, directed by Andrew Niccol, takes place in a dystopian future where parents are given the opportunity to genetically modify their children before birth.
Hawke plays Vincent, a genetically inferior “invalid” conceived outside of the eugenics programme, who dreams of going to space—a luxury typically only afforded to the genetically “valid” of society.
Despite its dense ideas and frequent critical praise, Gattaca ended up flopping at the box office and is now generally forgotten among Ethan Hawke’s best hits. The film made just $12 million at the worldwide box office against its $36 million budget, making it one of the most substantial box office disappointments of the entire decade.
Thankfully, it wasn’t all negativity for Gattaca. The film still benefitted from strong reviews from most critics, who praised its bold storytelling and compelling lead performances. Gattaca currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 82%, with a critical consensus that reads: “Intelligent and scientifically provocative, Gattaca is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.”
Despite all the commercial disappointment, Gattaca remains one of the most important films in Hawke’s catalog; it introduced him to his future wife, Uma Thurman. The Hollywood actress plays Irene, a co-worker whom Hawke’s protagonist quickly falls in love with. And their romance quickly blossomed in real life, too.
After meeting on the set of Gattaca in 1996, Hawke and Thurman entered a highly public relationship that resulted in their subsequent marriage just two years later. In June of the same year, Thurman gave birth to the couple’s first child, Maya Hawke.
Unfortunately, this Hollywood romance didn’t last too long. Hawke and Thurman confirmed their separation just five years later, in 2003, with an official divorce two years later. Hawke married Ryan Shawhughes in 2008, and the couple remains together today.
