In a revelation that rewrites a key piece of Hollywood history, acclaimed actor Ethan Hawke has disclosed he was in serious contention for the iconic role of Jack Dawson in James Cameron's epic romance, Titanic.
The Oscar-nominated star of Training Day and Before Sunrise detailed the near-miss during a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Hawke explained that he was among the final few actors being considered for the part that would ultimately propel a young Leonardo DiCaprio into stratospheric fame and become a defining character of 1990s cinema.
The One That Got Away
Hawke, who was in his mid-20s at the time, was already an established name following his work in Dead Poets Society and Reality Bites. The role of the penniless artist who wins a ticket onto the ill-fated RMS Titanic seemed a natural fit. However, the actor believes his prior work may have actually counted against him.
'I remember reading it and thinking, ‘Well, this is a really good script,' Hawke recalled. He went on to speculate that 'I think [James Cameron] wanted somebody that wasn’t known… He wanted the actor to be the character.'
DiCaprio's Defining Moment
The role, of course, went to a then-22-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, who was primarily known for his work in independent films like What's Eating Gilbert Grape. His performance opposite Kate Winslet's Rose DeWitt Bukater became the stuff of legend.
Titanic went on to shatter box office records, becoming the first film to gross over $2 billion worldwide and winning 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. DiCaprio's portrayal of Jack Dawson cemented his status as a global heartthrob and a serious leading man, setting the stage for his future career as one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.
A Different Path
While Hawke missed out on the blockbuster, his career took a different but equally respected path. He continued to build a formidable filmography filled with critically acclaimed performances in both independent films and larger features, earning four Academy Award nominations along the way.
The disclosure offers a fascinating 'what if' for film fans, prompting speculation on how different the film—and both actors' careers—might have been had the casting decision gone the other way. It stands as a testament to the unpredictable nature of Hollywood casting and the single role that can define a generation.
