Claim: Ethan Hawke acts.

Ethan Green Hawke -LRB- born November 6 , 1970 -RRB- is an American actor , writer , and director . He has been nominated for four Academy Awards and a Tony Award . Hawke has directed two feature films , three Off-Broadway plays , and a documentary , and written the novels The Hottest State -LRB- 1996 -RRB- , Ash Wednesday -LRB- 2002 -RRB- , and Rules for a Knight -LRB- 2015 -RRB- .   He made his film debut in 1985 with the science fiction feature Explorers , before making a breakthrough appearance in the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society . He then appeared in numerous films before taking a role in the 1994 Generation X drama Reality Bites , for which he received critical praise . In 1995 , Hawke first appeared in Richard Linklater 's romance trilogy , co-starring opposite Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise , and later in its sequels Before Sunset -LRB- 2004 -RRB- and Before Midnight -LRB- 2013 -RRB- , all of which met with critical acclaim .   Hawke has been twice nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ; his writing contributions to Before Sunset and Before Midnight were recognized , as were his performances in Training Day -LRB- 2001 -RRB- and Boyhood -LRB- 2014 -RRB- . Hawke was further honored with SAG Award nominations for both films , along with BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for the latter .   His other films include the science fiction drama Gattaca -LRB- 1997 -RRB- , the contemporary adaptation of Hamlet -LRB- 2000 -RRB- , the action thriller Assault on Precinct 13 -LRB- 2005 -RRB- , the crime drama Before the Devil Knows You 're Dead -LRB- 2007 -RRB- , and the horror film Sinister -LRB- 2012 -RRB- .