Hawke and Linklater’s ninth film together was (2025), a biopic in which Hawke starred as lyricist reflecting on himself on the opening night of the musical . Linklater had shared the draft with Hawke over a decade earlier, but chose to delay the project until Hawke became old enough to portray a middle-aged Hart. Hawke shaved his head and used devices that made him appear shorter for the role, undergoing a transformation that he said helped him better understand the character’s feelings. The praised his performance as one of the year’s best, while described it as a career highlight. It earned him nominations for the , , , and for Best Actor.


















