News | Entertainment
12 Jan 2026 16:39
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Maya Hawke knows her famous parents have “made it easy” for her to become an actress – but thinks she’ll be “kicked out” of Hollywood if she “sucks”

    The 22-year-old actress is the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, and has said she’s “grateful” for the kickstart her parents have given her career


    But Maya doesn’t think she’ll be able to get by on her parents’ names forever, as she believes Hollywood will kick her out if she doesn’t put in some stellar performances.

    She said: "I'm very grateful for the fact that they made it so easy for me to do the thing that I love. I think I'll get a couple chances on their name and then if I suck, I'll get kicked out of the kingdom. And that's what should happen. So I'm just going to try not to suck."

    The ‘Stranger Things’ star also insisted there was “no moment” in which she realised her love for acting because she has been immersed in it for her entire life.

    She added: "There was no moment. I was always just doing school plays and acting camp over the summer. I guess it clicked for me that I wanted to do it professionally was when I realized that there were no school plays for adults. The happiest place in the world for me was on set or on stage.

    "I feel so lucky to get to participate. I love this business. I love movies. I love art. I love it so much. I would have done lights on Mainstream. I would have done catering."

    And Maya praised her father as a “teacher”, after the pair worked together on an episode of Showtime's ‘The Good Lord Bird’ last year.

    Admitting they had been thinking about the collaboration “forever”, she told People magazine: "But we're always working together in one way or another. Whether it's me calling him being like, 'How do I do this? I need help.' Or him helping me with audition tapes. There's a real network of communication there. I really see him as my teacher more than almost anything else."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     12 Jan: Bowen Yang felt like it was "time" for him to leave Saturday Night Live
     12 Jan: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's team have hit out at Spencer Pratt's bid to take her job
     12 Jan: Golden Globes 2025 winners list: Owen Cooper, Stephen Graham win for Adolescence performances
     12 Jan: Bunnie Xo's life-long mission is to ensure "people known that they are loved"
     12 Jan: Ozzy Osbourne has been visiting his family in their dreams
     12 Jan: Jennifer Marshall has lamented her absence from season five of Stranger Things because it would have helped her "obtain health insurance"
     12 Jan: Bradley Cooper has not had plastic surgery
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    New Zealand Giant Slalom skiing star Alice Robinson isn't switching focus despite surprise showings in a different discipline More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    How I have fun with friends without spending money More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Bowen Yang felt like it was "time" for him to leave Saturday Night Live 16:23

    Living & Travel:
    Golden Globes key moments 2026: Australia's hits and misses, Amy Poehler takes out Best Podcast nod 16:17

    Law and Order:
    Investigations are still ongoing into the deaths of two people at a property in Bay of Plenty's Pukehina earlier this month 16:17

    International:
    Golden Globes 2026 live updates: Jacob Elordi misses out on first nomination, One Battle After Another among early winners 16:07

    Entertainment:
    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's team have hit out at Spencer Pratt's bid to take her job 15:53

    Entertainment:
    Golden Globes 2025 winners list: Owen Cooper, Stephen Graham win for Adolescence performances 15:47

    Business:
    How I have fun with friends without spending money 15:37

    Business:
    It's been revealed another health provider, Canopy Healthcare, was hit by a data breach - six months ago 15:27

    Entertainment:
    Bunnie Xo's life-long mission is to ensure "people known that they are loved" 15:23

    Health & Safety:
    Relief for patients suffering from rare disorders that prevents their bodies from breaking down an amino acid 14:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd