ACTOR · BORN 1959
John Hawkes
- Born
- 11 September 1959
11 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
All facts (11)
- #001
John Hawkes has no formal acting training and never attended drama school.
- #002
He landed his first major leading role at the age of 45, playing Sol in Deadwood (2004).
- #003
He turned down the role of the Governor in the television series The Walking Dead (2010).
- #004
In an interview with Fade In magazine, Hawkes explained that while hitchhiking in America, he would perform various characters as he got into cars.
- #005
As of 2018, he had appeared in three films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Winter's Bone (2010), Lincoln (2012) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
- #006
On 10 March 2011, he was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in Austin, Texas.
- #007
When Hawkes was cast as Sol Star, a Jewish merchant in the series Deadwood (2004), he told series creator David Milch plainly at their first meeting that there was a problem: "I'm not Jewish". "David asked me: 'Have you ever felt shame, sorrow or exclusion?' 'Every day,' I said. And David said, 'Then you're Jewish.'".
- #008
He names Robert Duvall as the actor he admires most.
- #009
He is a graduate of Jefferson High School (Alexandria, Minnesota), class of 1977.
- #010
He was previously a member of the bands Meat Joy and King Straggler, and is currently working on a solo album.
- #011
He is of English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish descent.
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