Highlights
- Reality Bites, despite poor reviews and low initial box office numbers, has gained a new generation of fans who find it cool and relatable.
- Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke didn't get along while filming, with Ryder being disappointed by Hawke's living situation.
- Despite their differences, Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke have rekindled their friendship, and Hawke credits Ryder for saving his career by recommending him for Reality Bites.
Reality Bites didn't get the best reviews from critics when it was released, and according to reports, the film was so unpopular hardly anyone watched it. The 1994 movie grossed only $5 million during its opening weekend. Even the star-studded lead cast of Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, and Ben Stiller didn't help the film's reception.
Years later, the romantic comedy about Ryder's character, Leliana, working on a documentary about life in the '90s as a twenty-something, is a hit with the new generation, who find it cool and relatable with their current struggles. This is why many fans are surprised after finding out the main co-stars, Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke, didn't get along while filming.
Ryder personally vouched for Hawke to get a part in Reality Bites. However, she quickly regretted her decision after spending more time with him on set - especially after she visited his home.
Ben Stiller Was Nervous To Work With Winona Ryder
In the late '90s, Winona Ryder was one of the biggest Hollywood movie stars around. Ryder's role in the 1993 Martin Scorsese film Age of Innocence, where she played socialite May Welland, garnered her critical acclaim and several award nominations for her portrayal, including an Oscar.
So, when Stiller approached Ryder to do Reality Bites the following year, he was willing to do whatever it took to make the movie a hit. During the 25th anniversary of the romantic comedy at the Tribeca Film Festival, Stiller admitted he was very nervous when he met the Stranger Things star.
"You were genuinely, for somebody in that position as a young person, you were so open and welcoming to wanting to collaborate and not be the star because you had all this power to make the movie," Ryder, who was at the height of her career then, admitted she wasn't aware of her star power.
However, when she suggested Ethan Hawke co-star in the film with her, Stiller, as the film's director, didn't hesitate to bring him on despite not knowing him.
Why Winona Ryder Didn't Like Working With Ethan Hawke
The cast of Reality Bites made magic with the film; it just took most people a while to realize it. Even though the cast had a blast reuniting at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, they didn't get along well while making the movie. Ethan Hawke told RollingStone he did his best to stay out of trouble on set because Winona Ryder and everyone else were "going nuts about the twenty-something stuff." The film highlighted young people's struggles while following their dreams.
The Training Day star revealed that he and Ryder didn't speak again after completing their rehearsals for Reality Bites. One of the reasons the Beetlejuice star didn't want to keep in contact with her co-star was the way he lived. Ryder called out Hawke for living in a dump when he could afford to live better than most people in New York so that he could show everyone he was "deep."
The Heathers star told RollingStone many young actors live with mattresses on the floor and their books scattered everywhere because they're ashamed of their wealth. "You just want to say, 'Don't live this way to show people that you're real and that you're deep.' It offends me because I know what it's like to be in poverty, and it's not fun, and it's not romantic, and it's not cool."
Hawke responded to Ryder's comment and explained he lived the way he did because he wanted to emulate Henry Miller's city lifestyle. "The bottom line is that I'm not a millionaire. F*** you, you are, so you think we all are. Not to say I'm not doing well financially. But to be honest, that's her whole thing. It's her projection."
Winona Ryder And Ethan Hawke Rekindled Their Friendship
Despite what she thought of Ethan Hawke's living situation then, Winona Ryder and Hawke have had years to mature and put their feelings about each other aside. It was evident the two were on good terms when, in 2016, Ryder presented Hawke with a Gotham Award and gave him a surprise kiss on stage.
Hawke admits despite what happened on set; he will forever be grateful to Ryder for saving his career with the Reality Bites role. In 2019, the movie's cast and crew had a huge reunion where the former co-stars appreciated each other for contributing to the Gen-X film.
Hawke included the film's screenwriter, Helen Childress, who the film is based on, in his speech, adding, "I really want to say how much we are all indebted to Winona using her strength, her power at that moment, to care about another woman's voice."
The Purge star also revealed to the audience that his acting career wouldn't be what it is today without Ryder.
"Winona believed in me. Winona got me this job. This job changed the trajectory of my career entirely."
Since the film, Ethan Hawke has gone on to direct and write screenplays garnering recognition and award nominations for his work over the years. On top of that, he has his own production company, Under The Influence Productions, which is responsible for films like 2023's Wildcat and 2018's Blaze.
How Does Ethan Hawke's Daughter, Maya, Feel About Winona Ryder And Reality Bites?
Ethan Hawke's friendship with Winona Ryder grew even further after his daughter Maya Hawke got cast in the Netflix hit show Stranger Things alongside her. In 2019, Maya auditioned for the season 3 role of Robin Buckley and got cast over Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan.
Despite watching dozens of films while studying acting and working with Ryder, Maya admits she's never watched Reality Bites. "I know Winona pretty well, and of course, I'm a giant fan of her work and of my dad's work." The 25-year-old actress said she does want to watch the popular film but has never got the right time to watch it.
"Some of those movies feel like such a big deal that we'd all want to sit down and watch them together, but it's rarely the right time where everyone's like, 'Let's get together and watch my movies!'"
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