No Superheroes, No CGI: Ethan Hawke Did Nearly All His Own Stunts in The Weight

Ethan Hawke may not be dangling from skyscrapers like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, but the actor proved he’s still game for physical risk in The Weight, a historical action-drama premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.

Set during the Great Depression, the film stars Hawke as a widower ripped away from his daughter and sent to a brutal work camp. His only chance at early release comes from a ruthless warden, played by Russell Crowe, who offers freedom in exchange for smuggling gold through a deadly wilderness. To get back to his child, Hawke’s character endures a punishing journey that includes reckless driving, fistfights, and holding his breath underwater in an icy river.

Speaking at Variety’s Sundance Studio presented by Audible, Hawke pushed back against the idea that actors must constantly outdo one another with extreme stunts.

“Tom Cruise has totally changed what’s expected for actors,” Hawke said. “Sometimes it feels like people think you’re less if you use a stunt team. What I liked about our movie is there were no ridiculous stunts. It’s human. It’s not about things blowing up.”

Director Padraic McKinley, who previously worked with Hawke on The Good Lord Bird, quickly jumped in to clarify that his star was being modest.

“Ethan did every single stunt,” McKinley said, noting that the only exception was one wide shot after Hawke nearly tore his hamstring. “Including driving those old cars with insane clutches.”

Beyond the action, The Weight is driven by a deeply emotional core: a father’s determination to reunite with his daughter. Hawke said that theme is what gives the film lasting power.

“It’s about love,” he said. “That’s what makes the script timeless. Some of the best action movies are about something real.”

Family has increasingly shaped Hawke’s work. In 2023, he directed his daughter Maya Hawke in Wildcat, a biographical drama about author Flannery O’Connor. While he stayed behind the camera for that project, Hawke said he would love to act alongside her in the future.

“Heck yeah,” he said. “I want to be with the star of Stranger Things.”

Maya Hawke, who played Robin Buckley on the Netflix hit, recently wrapped the show’s fifth and final season. Asked what advice he gave his daughter after the series ended, Hawke didn’t hesitate.

“Time to move on,” he said. “You’ve got to do it, and move on. Don’t look back.”

At 55, Hawke shows no signs of slowing down. In 2025 alone, he appeared in multiple films, including Blue Moon and Black Phone 2, as well as TV series like The Lowdown and The American Revolution. He also earned his fifth Oscar nomination — and his first for lead actor — for Blue Moon.

Reflecting on his relentless pace, Hawke admitted he sometimes questions himself.

“Why can’t I sit still? Why do I work so much?” he said. “I love it. I fell madly in love with the process when I was young. You can’t do it alone — it has magic. Once you feel that and see it connect with audiences, you chase it. I’m just chasing.”