Ethan Hawke is arguably one of the best actors of his generation, so it’s no surprise that he puts all his talent and input into everything he does —includingMoon Knight. The four-time Academy Award nominee, who plays the series' main antagonist Arthur Harrow, was the mastermind behind one of the eeriest moments in the show so far.
Marvel Studios’Moon Knightopens with Harrow performing a strange ritual in which he crushes glass pieces and puts them into his shoes before walking away as a Bob Dylan song plays in the background. It’s an unsettling moment that serves as a window into Harrow’s insanity and, according toseries director Mohamed Diab, Hawke came up with the sequence all by himself.
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Diab explained during an interview with IGN that Hawke helpeddevelop theMoon Knight character, which is based on real-life cult leader David Koresh. “I asked him to sign the project based on a pitch that I gave him that didn’t exist, of the villain […] I knew that someone like Ethan Hawke wants to work in an environment [where] he can be part of the creation of the character,” Diab shared. “So I told him, ‘join the project and let’s create this together.'”
Diab went on to explain that the scene was crucial for understanding the character and his motivations. “He is not a trickster. He’s not a false prophet. He’s a prophet that is in the wrong, but he’s a prophet. He’s someone who believes in what he does,” said Diab. The director also stated that the sequencesets the tone forMoon Knight, which is far darker than most comic book adaptations tend to be.
Hawke previously voiced hisfascination with playing Arthur Harrow, who, despite being portrayed as a villain, is so complex. According to the actor, the fact that the protagonist —played by Oscar Isaac— is an unreliable narrator due to his mental illness adds a new layer of nuance to his character. “That’s really interesting for the villain: Am I really being seen as I am?” Hawke said at a press conference earlier this month.
Following months of anticipation,Moon Knightfinally debuted its first episodeon March 30th on Disney Plus. While early reviews criticized the show’s inability to shed the Marvel Studios formula audiences have become so accustomed to, episode one still showcases a great deal of potential for the future. Hawke and Isaac’s performances are one of the best elements so far and a few adjustments to the script and CGI could turnMoon Knightinto a worthy adaptation of its source material.
