Photo Time-Lapse: See How Ethan Hawke Has Changed Over 25 Years - Slideshow - Vulture

May 29, 2013 1:30 pm

Photo Time-Lapse: See How Ethan Hawke Has Changed Over 25 Years

By Margaret Lyons

Photo: New York Daily News Archive/1999/Daily News, L.P. (New York)

First came Dead Poets Society. Then Reality Bites. Then Before Sunrise came out in 1995. Ethan Hawke helped define the guy persona of the mid-nineties: artsy, casual, with dirty hair and a reluctant grin. (Bonus points for a guitar.) He even wrote poetry and made Hamlet. With the return of Jesse and Celine in Before Midnight, it seemed the perfect time to revisit the many looks of Ethan Hawke. Warning: Contains a lot of “funky” shirts.

With fellow Dead Poets Allelon Ruggiero (left) and Robert Sean Leonard. They're just chillin' here — this is from the premiere of the Paul Newman movie Blaze.

With fellow Dead Poets Allelon Ruggiero (left) and Robert Sean Leonard. They're just chillin' here — this is from the premiere of the Paul Newman movie Blaze.

Aw, baby-faced for a 21-year-old.

Aw, baby-faced for a 21-year-old.

With Sinead Cusack and Jeremy Irons at a premiere for Waterland, back when people openly smoked on the red carpet.

With Sinead Cusack and Jeremy Irons at a premiere for Waterland, back when people openly smoked on the red carpet.

In 1993, everyone in America was legally required to invest in wide-wale corduroy.

In 1993, everyone in America was legally required to invest in wide-wale corduroy.

Debut of the goatee! Mark it on your calendar and celebrate this day every year.

Debut of the goatee! Mark it on your calendar and celebrate this day every year.

Just a few months after Reality Bites opened. Ah, scruff. The nineties answer to everything.

Just a few months after Reality Bites opened. Ah, scruff. The nineties answer to everything.

With Julie Delpy at the premiere of Before Sunrise. Even marginal un-scruffiness seemed very formal back then.

With Julie Delpy at the premiere of Before Sunrise. Even marginal un-scruffiness seemed very formal back then.

You could even smoke at the Obie Awards! Inside!

You could even smoke at the Obie Awards! Inside!

T-rex arms and a bandana. It happens.

T-rex arms and a bandana. It happens.

With Frank Whaley and some seriously wide lapels.

With Frank Whaley and some seriously wide lapels.

What are you chuckling about, Richard Linklater?

What are you chuckling about, Richard Linklater?

Aw, sugar, c'mere. You have schmutz on your jacket.

Aw, sugar, c'mere. You have schmutz on your jacket.

That was a fun era.

That was a fun era.

With Natasha Richardson.

With Natasha Richardson.

Later that night, now with a pashmina.

Later that night, now with a pashmina.

Hats!

Hats!

Oops, not "hats." HATS!

Oops, not "hats." HATS!

With Kyle MacLachlan at Sundance.

With Kyle MacLachlan at Sundance.

That's an awfully wan mustache.

That's an awfully wan mustache.

Stubble: Fine. Actual mustache: Fine. But stubble-mustache is best reserved for ninth-graders.

Stubble: Fine. Actual mustache: Fine. But stubble-mustache is best reserved for ninth-graders.

See? Fuller mustache. Upgrade.

See? Fuller mustache. Upgrade.

Is it fun being a movie star? Oh, sometimes.

Is it fun being a movie star? Oh, sometimes.

But other times, your terrifying outfit decisions get photographed and will live on for all eternity. Is it possible that Quentin Tarantino is the best-dressed person in this photo?

But other times, your terrifying outfit decisions get photographed and will live on for all eternity. Is it possible that Quentin Tarantino is the best-dressed person in this photo?

This was earlier that day. They went home and changed!

This was earlier that day. They went home and changed!

Was piece-y hair still a thing in 2001? Someone scrounge up a Delia's catalogue.

Was piece-y hair still a thing in 2001? Someone scrounge up a Delia's catalogue.

So rumpled! Ahem, so perfectly rumpled.

So rumpled! Ahem, so perfectly rumpled.

At the Lord of the Rings premiere.

At the Lord of the Rings premiere.

With Jennifer Connelly, Reese Witherspoon, and "funky" lapels.

With Jennifer Connelly, Reese Witherspoon, and "funky" lapels.

Sigh.

Sigh.

Let's have a jam sesh with Robert Sean Leonard and Kris Kristofferson. Too bad no one really remembers Chelsea Walls.

Let's have a jam sesh with Robert Sean Leonard and Kris Kristofferson. Too bad no one really remembers Chelsea Walls.

(It was that indie movie Hawke directed, set in the Chelsea Hotel.)

(It was that indie movie Hawke directed, set in the Chelsea Hotel.)

Hey, Macaulay Culkin, can I bum a cigarette? Oh, sure, Ethan Hawke. No problem.

Hey, Macaulay Culkin, can I bum a cigarette? Oh, sure, Ethan Hawke. No problem.

Oh, these hideous pants with the monstrous pockets? These are my reading pants, of course!

Oh, these hideous pants with the monstrous pockets? These are my reading pants, of course!

I spy a wallet chain.

I spy a wallet chain.

Cheer up, Ethan! You own a solid collection of brown jackets.

Cheer up, Ethan! You own a solid collection of brown jackets.

With Jessica Lange, Steve Buscemi, and former U.S. congressman Tom Andrews. Maybe Ethan Hawke should guest star on American Horror Story.

With Jessica Lange, Steve Buscemi, and former U.S. congressman Tom Andrews. Maybe Ethan Hawke should guest star on American Horror Story.

Return of the hats!

Return of the hats!

With Sheryl Crow. (And a weird air of surprise.)

With Sheryl Crow. (And a weird air of surprise.)

Compare the patchy mustache on the poster to the clean-shaven Ethan Hawke.

Compare the patchy mustache on the poster to the clean-shaven Ethan Hawke.

Hey, a brown jacket.

Hey, a brown jacket.

Wish this were a brown jacket!

Wish this were a brown jacket!

Jeez Louise, these two do not age.

Jeez Louise, these two do not age.

At all.

At all.

Ethan Hawke likes an unconventional shirt.

Ethan Hawke likes an unconventional shirt.

And close talking with Angelina Jolie. But then, who doesn't like that?

And close talking with Angelina Jolie. But then, who doesn't like that?

Leonardo DiCaprio wishes he had been in Dead Poets Society.

Leonardo DiCaprio wishes he had been in Dead Poets Society.

Argh, grow in the beard a little more.

Argh, grow in the beard a little more.

The best part is that girl two seats down from Hawke making a barf face.

The best part is that girl two seats down from Hawke making a barf face.

Swoon.

Swoon.

With Scarlett Johansson.

With Scarlett Johansson.

With Wallace Shawn. And noteably less rumpled.

With Wallace Shawn. And noteably less rumpled.

We've seen that embroidered jacket before.

We've seen that embroidered jacket before.

Everyone looks schlubby next to Angela Bassett.

Everyone looks schlubby next to Angela Bassett.

Hat. (Everybody drink.)

Hat. (Everybody drink.)

With Wyclef.

With Wyclef.

A-plus face from Jimmy Fallon.

A-plus face from Jimmy Fallon.

Same funky bandana shirt.

Same funky bandana shirt.

Another hat. And that embroidered jacket again.

Another hat. And that embroidered jacket again.

With Lauren Bacall.

With Lauren Bacall.

Double hats! (With Donnie Wahlberg.)

Double hats! (With Donnie Wahlberg.)

Is this when people were into mesh hats?

Is this when people were into mesh hats?

Dapper!

Dapper!

Also dapper! Though that might be a sliver of brown jacket peeking out.

Also dapper! Though that might be a sliver of brown jacket peeking out.

Soccer-y.

Soccer-y.

Looking sharp at the Obies.

Looking sharp at the Obies.

Stylish and helpful.

Stylish and helpful.

And majestic.

And majestic.

And we're back to the hat business.

And we're back to the hat business.

With his wife Ryan.

With his wife Ryan.

The bleached hair is for a role, thank god.

The bleached hair is for a role, thank god.

Though it is dangerously Mark McGrath–y.

Though it is dangerously Mark McGrath–y.

Another hat! Full-ish 'stache, though.

Another hat! Full-ish 'stache, though.

And the goatee is back, too.

And the goatee is back, too.

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