Despite the fact that the Internet was abuzz this morning with apparent quotes from Ethan Hawke totally dissing the Oscars, according to Hawke that couldn't be farther from the truth - he loves the Oscars!
The quotes, if you missed them, were pretty harsh on the Academy Awards. "People want to turn everything in this country into a competition...[so] it’s clear who the winner is and who the loser is," Hawke reportedly said during an interview with Gotham Magazine. The quotes were acquired and posted online by the New York Post. "It’s why they like to announce the grosses of movies, because it’s a way of saying, ‘This one is No. 1.’ It’s so asinine...if you look at how many forgettable, stupid movies have won Oscars and how many mediocre performers have Oscars above their fireplace. Making a priority of chasing these fake carrots and money and dubious accolades, I think it’s really destructive." Both Joaquin Phoenix and Anthony Hopkins have made similar remarks about the Oscars.
But today, in a statement to EW, Hawke clarified that he definitely wasn't bashing the awards show.
"I think the Oscars do a very good job in representing much of the great work in a given year," he said. "Inevitably though, many great films and performances are not recognized and can be overlooked due to the mass marketing and PR machines that march through the awards season. I don’t mean to take anything away from the genuine and deserved excitement that every nominee should feel."
Hawke's publicist also stated that Hawke's quotes were from a conversation he was having with Ruby Sparks writer and star Zoe Kazan about "how an artist protects one's craft." So, there's that.
RELATED: The 25 Worst Movies That Won Oscars
[via New York Post // Huffington Post // EW]
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