It’s Absurd That Ethan Hawke Didn’t Get an Oscar Nomination for This Brilliant 2010s Drama You Can Watch for Free
Ethan Hawke fully deserved an Oscar nomination for his remarkable portrayal of Reverend Toller in Paul Schrader’s 2018 film First Reformed. Over more than three decades, spanning multiple genres and production scales, Hawke has proven himself as one of Hollywood’s most consistent and versatile actors.
Often described as a character actor in a movie star’s body, Hawke continues to evolve in fascinating ways. His 2025 releases, Black Phone 2 and Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, showcase his range—whether as a chilling antagonist or as a deeply emotional performer in an auteur-driven film.
By the time of First Reformed, Hawke had already established himself as a modern everyman with rare depth and precision. His work with Paul Schrader reached a creative peak with this portrayal of a troubled pastor grappling with existential despair in upstate New York.
“Despite proverbially setting the screen on fire with his simmering rage and haunted aura, Hawke was rudely snubbed of an Oscar nomination.”
Even more surprising is that while the film received critical acclaim, its only Academy Award recognition was for Paul Schrader’s Best Original Screenplay—his first nomination in a long and distinguished career.
Author’s Summary
Hawke’s haunting performance in First Reformed remains one of cinema’s great overlooked achievements, perfectly embodying Schrader’s vision of moral and spiritual anguish.