John Hawkes (born September 11, 1959) is an American actor. He is the recipient of two Independent Spirit Awards and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
Hawkes is known for his roles in the films Winter's Bone (2010) and The Sessions (2012). For the former, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, respectively. Some of his other film credits include From Dusk till Dawn (1996), The Perfect Storm (2000), Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), American Gangster (2007), Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), Lincoln (2012) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). He has also appeared in many television series, notably Deadwood (2004–2006) and Eastbound & Down (2009–2013), as well as the fourth season of True Detective (2024).
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.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6710700/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_128
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 Year Title Role Notes 1985 Future-Kill The Light Man Credited as John Perkins1988 Bar-B-Que Movie Jerry Short film D.O.A. Sloane Johnny Be Good Pizza Boy #1 Murder Rap Christopher / Wiseman It Takes Two Thief #2 Heartbreak Hotel M.C. Dakota "Rooster" 1989 Rosalie Goes Shopping Schnucki Greenspace 1990 Never Leave Nevada Christo 1991 Scary Movie Warren1993 Freaked "Cowboy" Flesh and Bone Groom 1994 Roadracers Nixer1995 Congo Bob Driscoll Night of the Scarecrow Danny Thompson Angry Cafe "Turtle"1996 From Dusk till Dawn Pete Bottoms Deep in the Heart Mac1997 'Til There Was You Gawayne Steel Mugger Playing God Flick1998 Boogie Boy "T-Bone" Home Fries Randy Rush Hour Stucky Where's Marlowe? Earl I Still Know What You Did Last Summer Dave1999 David Elliot Blue Streak Eddie2000 Michael "Bugsy" Moran Sand Hardy Briggs2001 The Orange Orange Romeo Short film Hardball "Ticky" Tobin 2002 Harold Buttleman, Daredevil Stuntman Harold Buttleman 2003 Identity Larry Washington 2004 Sweet Underground Johnny2005 Me and You and Everyone We Know Richard Swersey Moe2006 Wristcutters: A Love Story Yan Miami Vice Alonzo Stevens2007 Welcome Bill Short film American Gangster Freddie Spearman Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture2008 Dark Yellow Man Short film Miracle at St. Anna Herb Redneck2009 Tender as Hellfire French Short film S. Darko Phil Path Lights Bobby Short film Earthwork Stan HerdWinner – Fargo Film Festival for Best Actor Wasteland Daniel Short film2010 Winter's Bone "Teardrop" Dolly Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best EnsembleGotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble PerformanceIndependent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleSan Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorSan Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActorSanta Barbara International Film Festival – Virtuoso AwardNominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Indiana Film Critics Association for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best CastNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleNominated – Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best EnsembleNominated – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Everything Will Happen Before You Die Lane Also co-executive producer Small Town Saturday Night Donnie Carson Eve's Necklace William Voice On Holiday Bill "Wild Bill"2011 Martha Marcy May Marlene Patrick Nominated – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble PerformanceNominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleNominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated – Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Higher Ground C.W. Walker Contagion Roger Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Acting2012 Mark O'Brien Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Ensemble ActingNominated – AACTA International Award for Best ActorNominated – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best ActorNominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated – Houston Film Critics Society for Best ActorNominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated – San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorNominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion PictureNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleNominated – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated – Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Arcadia Tom Martin Cantwell Lincoln Robert Latham2013 Finnon "Arkie" Burke Life of Crime Louis Gara Resurrection Slope John Short film The Sleepy Man Sleepy Man Short film 2014 Low Down Joe Albany2015 Shane Hall Too Late Mel Sampson Everest Doug Hansen2017 Small Town Crime Mike Kendall Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Charlie Hayes Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting EnsembleScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture You Will Be Loved Birdwatcher Short film 2018 Unlovable Jim2019 Duncan End of Sentence Frank Fogle 2020 Tomahawk Him Short film 2021 Water and Smoke Marvin Short film 2022 Roving Woman Gregory Milloy 2026 Heartland Post-production
Television