It’s Absurd That Ethan Hawke Didn’t Get an Oscar Nomination for This Brilliant 2010s Drama You Can Watch for Free

It’s Absurd That Ethan Hawke Didn’t Get an Oscar Nomination for This Brilliant 2010s Drama

Ethan Hawke deserved an Oscar nomination for his role as Reverend Toller in Paul Schrader’s 2018 film First Reformed. With over 30 years of work spanning various genres and film sizes, Hawke has proven to be one of the most dependable actors in Hollywood.

Often seen as a character actor with the charisma of a movie star, Hawke's 2025 performances in Black Phone 2 and Richard Linklater's Blue Moon showcase his versatile talent. Whether portraying a horror villain or starring in auteur-driven dramas, he consistently delivers compelling performances.

A Career Defined by Growth and Depth

Hawke balances everyman qualities with a refined sensibility, evolving remarkably over the years, including throughout Linklater's renowned Before trilogy. His career peak came with First Reformed, where he plays a troubled pastor wrestling with crisis and despair in upstate New York.

“He was rudely snubbed of an Oscar nomination despite proverbially setting the screen on fire with his simmering rage and haunted aura he provides to one of the 2010s' finest films.”

Paul Schrader’s Unique Vision and Recognition

Directed by Paul Schrader, known for his intense character studies, First Reformed is a powerful psychological drama about fear and environmental apocalypse. Interestingly, Schrader received his first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for this film — the movie’s sole nomination — making Hawke's omission from the acting category even more perplexing.

“Arguably even more confounding than Ethan Hawke's snubbing for First Reformed is that Paul Schrader earned his first Oscar nomination in a long career for Best Original Screenplay, the film’s only nod.”

Author’s Conclusion

This oversight overlooked a defining, career-best performance by one of the most consistent and versatile actors of his generation.

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Collider — 2025-11-06