Ethan Hawke has finally opened up about a memorable interaction with Rihanna, shedding light on his attempt at conversation during a basketball game. In an interview with Variety, Ethan Hawke and his daughter, Maya Hawke, discussed the incident from the 2015 NBA All-Star game, where the actor’s advances towards the pop superstar didn’t quite go as planned.
Sharing the details of the encounter, Ethan Hawke admitted, “I’ve been caught by the paparazzi openly trying to flirt with Rihanna.” His daughter, Maya, playfully corrected him, saying, “Trying to flirt.” Ethan Hawke accepted the clarification, adding, “So that’s been a source of family amusement, so you’re really hitting a sensitive spot here.”
Maya chimed in with a different perspective, stating, “No, it’s a source of family pride.”
The duo was discussing their new project, “Wildcat,” with Maya in the role of author Flannery O’Connor and Ethan Hawke as the director. Maya shared her initial apprehension about the project, revealing, “I had moments of doubt while shooting the movie. But the internet lacks nuance. My dad has been an incredible teacher for me, and we enjoy working together. We genuinely like being in each other’s company.”
Variety’s interviewers also posed a question about Ethan’s concert preferences, asking if he would choose a Rihanna or Lady Gaga concert. Maya quickly responded, asserting that her father would opt for Rihanna. However, Ethan Hawke added, “Both.” He clarified, “I’ve attended a Lady Gaga concert, but I haven’t been to a RiRi concert. I took you to see Lady Gaga,” he told Maya.
Maya hesitated for a moment before correcting herself, saying, “No, you didn’t.”
Ethan Hawke recalled, “Oh no, we attended a Madonna concert, and we were sitting next to Lady Gaga.” The Hawkes clarified that while they hadn’t seen Lady Gaga perform live, she was on their concert wish list.
Maya reflected on their past concert experiences, saying, “We had an incredible year attending concerts by Madonna, Taylor Swift, and Adele. It was a highly educational and motivational year for me. It was some exceptional father-daughter bonding. Well, now we have to make sure we see Rihanna next.”