Maya Hawke is shaping up to be Hollywood's next "it girl," and she comes with a famous pedigree.
The daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, Maya just turned 20 but has already landed lead roles in the BBC's miniseries adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" and Season 3 of Netflix's "Stranger Things."
Now, according to Deadline, she's been tapped by director Quentin Tarantino to star in his next film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." Maya's mother was once a muse for the director, having starred in "Pulp Fiction" and his "Kill Bill" films. "Once Upon a Time," described as a tribute to Hollywood's golden age, will also star Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lena Dunham.
As for Maya Hawke, you will be seeing a lot more of her. Here's what you need to know:
She comes from Hollywood royalty
Hawke is not afraid to admit that she comes from Hollywood royalty. "I’m not interested in hiding from the fact that my parents are actors," she told Vogue UK last year. "I’m proud of them!"
Her famous parents, known for their roles in "Pulp Fiction" and "Training Day," met on the set of the 1997 movie "Gattaca." They married a year later and had two children, Maya and her brother Levon, now 16, before splitting in 2003.
Hawke was just 5 at the time but told Vogue both parents "really protected the sanctity of my childhood, really allowed me to be vulnerable and unseen, and I’m very grateful for that."
She dropped out of Juilliard
Hawke was already planning to follow in her parents' footsteps when she got the leading role as Jo March in "Little Women." Taking the role meant quitting Juilliard. "I really struggled with that because I believe in education, that you’re making an investment in your 40-year-old self, in the longevity of your career," she told Vogue.
'Little Women'
What makes being cast as Jo March especially impressive is that it was Hawke's first film role. She starred alongside "Big Little Lies" star Kathryn Newton, Willa Fitzgerald and Annes Elwy in the BBC three-part series, which also aired on PBS this past May. Interestingly, Hawke's role as Jo was once made famous on the big screen by Winona Ryder, who starred opposite Hawke's dad in 1994's "Reality Bites."
"Stranger Things"
Speaking of Ryder, Hawke will join her and the other "Stranger Things" cast members when Season 3 drops in summer 2019. According to Deadline, Hawke's character is described as an "alternative girl who is equal parts sharp and playful."
Last month, Netflix dropped a first look at Hawke standing behind the ice cream counter with Steve.
#StrangerThings Season 3 First Look: Say ahoy to Steve and Robin (played by new cast member, Maya Hawke) https://t.co/zLZM6Gzo6U pic.twitter.com/xE5Uq4uqeS
— See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) July 16, 2018
