Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's love story transcended the realm of fiction, unfolding against the backdrop of their 1997 film, "Gattaca." In a cover story for GQ Hype published in September, Hawke reminisced, "Ever played Spin the Bottle? There's a unique intimacy in our line of work—an imaginative closeness that surges with exhilaration, akin to summer camp romance. It's dangerous, thrilling, and elevates life's temperature, detached from the mundane reality. That's the peril of it." Navigating their romance under the public gaze, the "Dead Poets Society" star continued, "It's humiliating, even when they praise you."
Hawke, now 54, and Thurman, 55, tied the knot in May 1998, six years after her divorce from Gary Oldman. However, the "Predestination" actor later reflected, in an interview with ELLE in 2013, on the timing of his marital vows. "Success in your youth is overwhelming," admitted Hawke, who was 27 at the time of their wedding. "The world felt chaotic, and I yearned to halt its frenetic pace. I mistakenly believed marriage would stabilize my life. I was dead wrong. I realized then that a male's brain isn't fully developed until 28. My frontal lobe was clearly unfinished. I had no business pledging lifelong vows."
Just two months after their vows, their bond was solidified with the arrival of their daughter, Maya Hawke, now 27. Their son, Levon Hawke, 23, joined the family four years later in 2002. As their careers soared—Hawke receiving his first Oscar nomination for "Training Day" in 2002, shortly before Thurman released "Kill Bill: Vol. 1"—their marriage began to unravel. News of their separation in 2003 saw Hawke refute infidelity rumors stemming from a Montreal film shoot. "Uma and I didn't split due to anyone's cheating," he clarified to 20/20 in 2004. "We had issues long before Montreal."
Instead, the "Before Sunset" actor attributed their marriage's downfall to their ambitious careers. "Marriage is challenging for any couple when both partners are highly driven," he continued, as reported by the New York Post. "Our love took a beating. Perhaps it's too tough being married to a woman who aspires to be a movie star. I respect her right to pursue that."
Thurman described their 2005 divorce as "excruciating." "Having children with someone is significant," the "Pulp Fiction" star elaborated on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005. "Communication becomes difficult, yet essential for you and your children. We both strive to make it work." Echoing Hawke's sentiment about their careers' impact, Thurman noted that their dissolution wasn't due to a single factor. "We were going through a rough patch," added the "Dangerous Liaisons" actress. "My son was 18 months old, and I hadn't worked much between pregnancies, providing stability. Returning to a demanding job after having a child placed immense pressure on our marriage. Prioritizing children while staying busy complicates matters. It's hard to pinpoint."
She continued, "Blame doesn't alleviate pain. With two children, protecting them is paramount. Even amid disputes, ensuring their wellbeing is crucial." In 2008, Hawke remarried, this time to his family's former nanny, Ryan Shawhughes, clarifying that their romance blossomed a year after his split from Thurman. "People might envision a 'Sound of Music'-like love story," Hawke told The Guardian in 2009, "but by the time Ryan and I fell in love, it had been a considerable while since she was our nanny."
Thurman also expanded her family, welcoming daughter Luna Thurman-Busson, now 13, with her former fiancé Arpad Busson, whose relationship ended in 2014. Despite tabloid scrutiny, both Oscar nominees refrain from speaking ill of each other. "She's my children's mother," Hawke told People in 2006. "That transcends everything else. Bringing two lives into the world together outweighs anything."
