John Hawkes (actor)

Early life

Hawkes is the son of Patricia Jeanne (née Olson) and Peter John "Pete" Perkins, a farmer of wheat, corn, hogs and cattle. He was raised in Alexandria, Minnesota, a "pastoral, small city... a midwest Scandinavian community", and graduated from Jefferson High School. He moved to Austin, Texas, where he was a member of the bands Meat Joy, with Gretchen Phillips, and King Straggler, with fellow actors Rodney Eastman and Brentley Gore.

Career

His first film role was in Future-Kill (1985), credited as John Perkins. He changed his stage name to John Hawkes because there was another actor named John Perkins.

Hawkes played the role of Greg Penticoff in season 1 of 24. From 2004 to 2006, Hawkes played merchant Sol Star on the HBO series Deadwood. He portrayed Dustin Powers, brother of protagonist Kenny Powers, on all four seasons of the HBO series Eastbound & Down, and played Lennon on ABC's Lost.

His other film roles include Me and You and Everyone We Know, The Perfect Storm, American Gangster, Wristcutters: A Love Story, Martha Marcy May Marlene, and Lincoln.

In 2011, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Winter's Bone, as well as for a number of other awards, including the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. He won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. Also in 2011, Hawkes was honored with a Rising Star Award by the Texas Film Hall of Fame. Hawkes was offered the role of The Governor in AMC's horror-drama series The Walking Dead. He turned it down feeling he was not the right fit for the role. The role eventually went to David Morrissey.

In 2012, the film The Sessions was considered one of the Sundance breakout hits of that year. Hawkes received two prolonged standing ovations at the film's screening. It was praised by critics at the festival as "accessible, enjoyable, and light-hearted".

In 2016, it was announced that Hawkes would star in the Amazon pilot The Legend of Master Legend, which is based on the popular real-life superhero Master Legend.

Along with cast members, Hawkes expressed interest in reprising his role as Sol Star in a proposed Deadwood film. Deadwood: The Movie began production in October 2018, and premiered on May 31, 2019. Hawkes, along with virtually the entire series cast, took part in it.

Hawkes had a small role as a robber in the music video for the cover version of the song "Crying in the Rain" by A-ha in 1990.

In the fourth season of the television series True Detective: Night Country (2024) he played a leading role and sang the song No Use, which he wrote, in episode 5 accompanied by an acoustic guitar.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

References

1. Mike Rose, cleveland com. (2025-09-11). "Famous birthdays list for September 11, 2025 includes celebrities Ludacris, Elizabeth Henstridge".
2. (January 25, 2011). "Alexandria graduate in the running for an Oscar". Alexandria Echo Press.
3. "Clifford-Hodde-Rochester – User Trees".
4. Shulman, Dave. (May 10, 2007). "John Hawkes: Wandering Star". [[LA Weekly]].
5. Steve Rose. (4 February 2012). "John Hawkes: 'I play nerds, psychos … psycho-nerds'". [[The Guardian]].
6. (October 14, 2012). "Who's That Man in the Iron Lung?". [[The New York Times]].
7. Stern, Marlow. (18 October 2012). "John Hawkes's Award-Worthy Turn in 'The Sessions' and His Wild Ride to Stardom". [[The Daily Beast]].
8. "John Hawkes balances television and film over years".
9. (October 21, 2011). "John Hawkes' House Rules". [[Interview (magazine).
10. "Texas Film Hall of Fame 2011 Honorees". [[Austin Film Society]].
11. Harris, Dana. (January 27, 2012). "The Story Behind Sundance Hit ''The Surrogate'' is in ''Breathing Lessons''".
12. Yuan, Jada. (January 23, 2012). "John Hawkes Gets a Standing Ovation for Sundance's ''The Surrogate''". [[New York (magazine).
13. (January 24, 2012). "Sundance Review Round-Up: Fox Searchlight Plans Oscar Run for ''The Surrogate''".
14. Fowler, Matt. (March 23, 2017). "The Legend of Master Legend: "Pilot" Review".
15. Labrecque, Jeff. (June 10, 2015). "John Hawkes would 'jump at the chance' for a 'Deadwood' reunion".
16. (May 2022)
17. (2024-02-19). "True Detective: Night Country Soundtrack - No Use - John Hawkes".