Hollywood ‘star’ returns home to perform in summer theatre
By Celeste Beam, Staff Reporter
Friday, 7/06/01
Contributed photo John Hawkes, an actor who was born and raised in Alexandria, starred in last summer’s drama, The Perfect Storm. He portrayed Bugsy (above), one of the fishermen aboard the “Andrea Gail.” |
Some people may think Alexandria is famous for some of its "stars", like the Kensington Runestone or the statue of Big Ole.
But, what about the movie star.
Yes, Alexandria is also the hometown of movie actor John Hawkes.
To some, he is better known as John Perkins, 1977 graduate of Jefferson High School — right here, in good old Alexandria.
Hawkes, who was born and raised in Alexandria, grew up with a passion for wrestling, not acting.
It wasn’t until his sophomore year and a class trip to see the play, The Crucible, at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, that he became interested in acting.
"I was very intrigued by all of it and somewhere in my mind, a light bulb went off and I thought it would be something I might like to try," Hawkes said. "I liked the feel of it — the whole thing."
In his junior year, one of his teachers, Scott Fodness, who remains a teacher at Jefferson today, encouraged him to try out for the play, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Hawkes tried out for the play, got a small part and loved it, he noted.
From there, there was no stopping him — he was in every play throughout the rest of his high school years.
After graduation, he decided to go to St. Cloud State University to study theater. He attended the university for one year. However, not being exactly what he was looking for, Hawkes decided to move to Austin, Texas, which is where his brother, Scott, lived.
Tim Mateer, a fellow classmate and actor, also lived in Texas and the two helped start a theater company. One of their plays took them to the Kennedy Center, where they performed the play, In the West.
Eventually, Hawkes said he got small parts in movies — "Hollywood movies" — that were filmed in Austin.
"At this time, I was doing well in theater and getting small parts in movies," he said. "People would often tell me I should be in New York or Los Angeles, but I didn’t think I would ever move because I was supporting myself."
Before long, however, he did move. In 1990, Hawkes made the "big move" to Los Angeles.
When asked if it was hard to move to such a large community, he said it wasn’t that bad because he knew a few people and was already a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
"Luckily for me, I had already done some films and after just a few months, I was able to get an agent," Hawkes said. "I worked a lot at first and then I had a slower period, but I hung in there."
He noted that the last seven or eight years have been really great for him.
In fact, he has had speaking roles in approximately 50 movies and 50 television shows — which are union paying jobs.
"I started with smaller parts, guest spots on television shows, smaller independent films, small parts in really big movies and big parts in really small movies," he noted. "I was always just happy to act!"
As for his biggest role yet, as far as a big studio, high profile movie, with his name by itself at the beginning, was last summers drama, The Perfect Storm.
The movie also starred George Clooney and Mark Walberg.
"Up to that point of my life, it was the best thing I had done," he stated.
Even though there are many actors who don’t want to watch themselves in any thing they act in, Hawkes is just the opposite. But, he doesn’t necessarily watch because he wants to see himself.
He said the biggest joy for him is watching how everything came together — how he acted, how his fellow actors did, how the wardrobe people did, the director, the editor, etc.
"We have been working on this baby, so to speak, and now I want to see the baby, play with the baby," he explained. "I want to watch all the people I got to know and how everybody’s work came together."
He also noted that when watching movies and such, especially The Perfect Storm, he will remember things like, "Oh, during that shot, that was the day I had a stomachache or that was the day George Clooney did a great practical joke."
"Strangely enough, I also get really caught up in the story itself," he said. "I would grip the side of the chair and think to myself, ‘maybe we are going to make it,’ even though I know we don’t. The mind is a funny thing.
He said he hopes he never gets too critical and stops enjoying watching the things he’s in, because as an actor, "you never really forget who you are — if you did, you would need to seek some professional help," said Hawkes.
As for new projects, coming up the early part of September, Hawkes will star in another big movie. It’s called Hardball and it also stars Keanu Reeves and Diane Lane.
"I’m the third lead, so this is the first time in a big studio movie that I get to have my name on the posters," Hawkes said. "Which in a way, is silly, but also gratifying. It means that I am getting somewhere, edging toward being the number one name."
As for this summer, people in Alexandria are not going to have to go far to see Hawkes.
He is performing in Theatre L’Homme Dieu’s production of Harvey, which runs July 11-15 and July 18-22. All shows are at 8 p.m. (See related story in the Lifestyle section on page A9.)
He says he is "thrilled" to be working at Theatre L’Homme Dieu and "excited" to work with the director, Jack Reuler.
Theatre-goers will have the opportunity to get Hawkes autograph after the July 15 show as he will be on hand immediately following the performance to sign programs.
Hawkes concluded his interview with the Echo Press by giving out a little advice, he said, "Don’t be afraid to do what makes you feel alive and happy, even if people tell you, you can’t."
If people do, he said to use it as fuel or ammunition and to do it anyway
and then gracefully say, "Thank you for that and I’ll show you!"
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