Jesse Wallace

**Jesse Wallace** is one of the two main characters of the Before trilogy who is in a relationship with Céline. He is portrayed by Ethan Hawke.

## Overview

He is a young man who grew up in a dysfunctional family and feels like he doesn't belong in the world. He is currently traveling through Europe and is trying to figure out his future career as a writer or TV producer.

He meets Celine, a woman he is attracted to, and they spend a night together in Vienna before he has to leave to catch his flight home. Jesse is struggling with his feelings for Celine and the fact that they only have a limited amount of time together.

## Personality

He possesses a high degree of intellectual acumen and displays a notable level of fervor towards various aspects of life, albeit with a mild degree of awkwardness in social situations. This particular characteristic, however, is perceived as charming by others. The subject is regarded as an average individual who gradually garners admiration upon closer acquaintance and upon gaining a deeper insight into their worldviews.

## Throughout the *Before* trilogy

### *Before Sunrise*

He was a young man in 1994 when he met Céline on a train from Budapest to Vienna. He was traveling through Europe after a recent breakup with his girlfriend and stumbled upon an unexpected connection with Céline, who was on her way back to university in Paris. After a chance encounter, Jesse convinced Céline to disembark with him in Vienna, and the two spent the night exploring the city and sharing intimate conversations about love, life, and religion.

Despite their chemistry, Jesse and Céline were aware that their time together was fleeting, and they decided to make the most of the night they had left. They shared a kiss at sunset and continued to roam the city, finding joy in the small moments and even staging fake phone conversations with each other in a Viennese café.

As their night drew to a close, Jesse expressed his attraction to Céline and revealed that, given the choice, he would marry her instead of never seeing her again. Though they understood the practical limitations of their situation, Jesse and Céline decided to meet again in six months at the same train station where they had departed.

Jesse's journey through Europe was marked by a sense of restlessness and a desire for escape, but his encounter with Céline allowed him to see the world in a new light. He was drawn to her intelligence, humor, and willingness to embrace the unexpected, and their night together left an indelible impression on him.

Although the outcome of their reunion is left open to interpretation, Jesse's connection with Céline represented a moment of possibility and connection in his life, one that he would always treasure.

### *Before Sunset*

Jesse Wallace became a successful author whose novel, *This Time*, is based on his experience with Céline, a woman he met nine years ago in Vienna. Jesse's book becomes a bestseller, and he embarks on a book tour in Europe. During a reading at Shakespeare and Company, three journalists interview him, and Céline attends the event.

As Jesse and Céline reunite in Paris, they use the remaining time before Jesse's flight to roam the city and have deep conversations about their lives. Jesse reveals that he is married with a son named Hank, and Céline is now an environmental activist and in a relationship with a photojournalist. Despite their current circumstances, their old romantic feelings slowly resurface.

Jesse's novel was written with the hope of seeing Céline again, and she admits that reading it brought back painful memories. As they arrive at Céline's apartment, Jesse persuades her to play a waltz on her guitar, which she wrote about their encounter in Vienna. Jesse then plays Nina Simone's "Just in Time" on her stereo, and they dance together, knowing that Jesse will miss his flight.

### *Before Midnight*

He, as a successful novelist, has been in a relationship with Céline for eighteen years. Together, they have twin girls. However, Jesse's relationship with his teenage son, Hank, has been a challenge. Despite vacationing with Jesse, Céline, and their children in Greece, Hank flies back home to live with his mother, Jesse's ex-wife, in Chicago.

Jesse and Céline are at different points in their careers, with Céline considering a job with the French government while Jesse's career is thriving. They discuss their worries about Hank, as well as their relationship, over dinner with friends. Their friends pay for a hotel room for the couple, where they reminisce about their first meetings and reflect on love and life.

As they begin to get intimate, they are interrupted by a phone call from Hank, who seems to be closer to Céline than Jesse. This triggers a fierce argument where they both express their fears about their relationship. Jesse suggests moving to Chicago to be closer to Hank, but Céline worries that it will jeopardize her career aspirations.

During the argument, Céline leaves and returns twice before telling Jesse that she no longer loves him. Céline leaves the room for the third time and sits alone in the hotel's outdoor restaurant. Jesse joins her and jokes that he is a time traveler, referencing their first meeting. He brings her a letter from her 82-year-old self, describing this night as one of the best of their lives.

Céline initially rejects Jesse's joke, stating that their fantasies will never match their imperfect reality. However, Jesse argues that their love may be imperfect, but it is still real. After a moment, Céline joins in the joke, and the two reconcile.