Let's make this birthday one to remember.

54 years old (Born on November 06, 1970)

Actor; He is famous from Dead Poets Society.

Turned down the part of Bobby Mercer in Four Brothers (2005). He loved the script but could not commit to it because of scheduling conflicts. The part eventually went to Mark Wahlberg. First cousin twice removed of Tennessee Williams. Hawke's great grandfather and Williams' father were brothers. Took a year off acting after Training Day (2001) to complete his novel Ash Wednesday. To prepare for his role in the film version of Hamlet he spent the summer before filming attending three study sessions a week with a friend who had played the part on the stage. His first acting role was at McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey at age 12.

His mother is a strict vegetarian and animal rights activist.

Has appeared in two film adaptations of William Wharton novels: Dad (1989) and A Midnight Clear (1992).

Is a big fan of the band Wilco.

Attended the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, New York for one year.

Very good friends with Catalina Sandino Moreno.

Attended West Windsor-Plainsboro High School in central New Jersey, but is not pictured in the yearbook (1984-86).

On Father's Day 2004 he went to a Yankees game with his kids.

His cat appeared in the Lisa Loeb music-video "Stay", which he directed.

Published his first novel, "The Hottest State," in 1996 (the novel sold for $400,000 to Little, Brown and Company).

Reds (1981) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) are his favorite movies.

Is a big fan of the Star Wars movie series

Childhood friend of director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects (1995), X-Men (2000)).

Stepbrother Patrick Powers is a Green Beret who served a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, and is currently (late 2006/early 2007) serving a six-month tour in Iraq.

In Before Sunset (2004) (which he co-wrote with Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater), Hawke's character Jesse is in a failing marriage with a woman he married because she had become pregnant. Soon after the film's release, Hawke divorced his real-life wife Uma Thurman, whom he had married while she was pregnant with their first child.

Is close friends with actor/director Frank Whaley, whom he met while filming A Midnight Clear (1992).

Remains close friends with Dead Poets Society (1989) co-stars, Robert Sean Leonard and Josh Charles.

Was accepted by Carnegie-Mellon University, School of Drama in Pittsburgh, PA, but dropped out after only 5 months.

His mother Leslie is a charity worker who lives in Romania.

Graduated from the Hun School of Princeton. [1988]

Announced that he and his girlfriend Ryan Shawhughes are expecting a child together (January 31, 2008).

Says that he is constantly mistaken for Mark McGrath from the band Sugar Ray so often that he signs autographs as "Mark McGrath" and, apparently, the same thing happens to Mark McGrath who, in turn, signs autographs as "Ethan Hawke" to fans.

He was the original choice to play FBI Agent Will Graham in Red Dragon (2002), but turned the role down to take time off from making movies.

Met and became friends with River Phoenix during the making of Explorers (1985).

When he was in the seventh grade, he played "Lon" in West Windsor-Plainsboro junior high school production of the play "Meet Me in St. Louis".

Children with Uma Thurman: daughter Maya Ray Thurman-Hawke (born July 8, 1998) and son Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke (born January 15, 2002). [8 July 1998]

His parents were University of Texas students when Ethan was born, and they separated when he was three.

Proposed to ex-wife Uma Thurman twice before she said yes.

Co-founded the now-defunct theater company called "Malaparte" with Robert Sean Leonard, Frank Whaleyand Steve Zahn.

Twice during his 20s he took a two-year leave of absence, once to go to NYU and study English (he dropped out when a part came up), and then to write a novel.

Was in a production of "Great Expectations" at West Windsor Plainsboro High School.