Ethan Hawke Shares Vow Made to His Kids After Uma Thurman Divorce

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For Ethan Hawke, there was no training day for navigating a public breakup. 

Actor Ethan Hawke recently opened up about the difficulties of his 2003 divorce from Uma Thurman. He explained how the split led him to make an agreement with his children, Maya Hawke, 27, and Levon Hawke, 23.

Ethan recently told the Los Angeles Times that dealing with public attention during a divorce is difficult, but the real challenges come from family dynamics and ensuring the children are okay. He expressed wishing more divorces could be handled peacefully and respectfully.

Aware that everyone was listening closely, the actor from The Black Phone – who shares two children, 17-year-old Clementine Jane Hawke and 14-year-old Indiana Hawke, with his wife, Ryan Shawhughes Hawke – intentionally kept his comments about the divorce brief.

He said he couldn’t discuss the divorce publicly because he’d promised his children he wouldn’t. However, he added that traveling the world showed him that marriage is difficult for people everywhere.

I’ve been following Ethan Hawke for years, and it’s been tough seeing him stay so private about his divorce from Uma Thurman. But recently, after over 20 years, he finally started talking about what really happened with all those rumors that came out about infidelity. It’s a relief to finally hear his side of things, especially after all this time.

Ethan told GQ in a recent interview that receiving attention, even positive attention, feels embarrassing. “It’s almost humiliating even when they’re saying positive things,” he said.

Uma, 55, has maintained a friendly relationship with her ex-husband, Ethan, whom she met on the set of the 1997 film Gattaca and married in 1998. They’ve remained amicable over the past five years, prioritizing their children.

In a 2006 interview with Parade magazine, she explained that she refuses to say anything negative about her children’s father. Her priority is maintaining peace within the family, and she’s committed to avoiding any unkind remarks, believing it would be harmful to everyone involved.

That said, Uma was also frustrated with the media coverage of her divorce at the time.

Honestly, I’m so tired of seeing this story everywhere – it’s just…exhausting. It feels like everyone’s making a huge deal out of something so common. At the end of the day, I see myself in her story. She’s just a woman, like me, who was stuck in a marriage that simply wasn’t working anymore, and it ended. It’s a really relatable experience for so many of us.

Instead, she focused on overcoming a difficult time in her life. As she put it, “It’s essential to genuinely want to forgive.”

Even though Ethan has been upset about his divorce being so public, he and his soon-to-be ex-spouse aren’t the only celebrities who’ve gone through a breakup. Here’s a look at some exes who have split up more peacefully.

They are definitely not getting back together. However, with all the recent interactions – birthday celebrations, affectionate hugs, and even playfully acting out a romantic scene in a virtual performance of Fast Times at Ridgemont High – it feels like they’re just teasing everyone who hoped they’d reconcile.

It takes a certain level of confidence to playfully tease your ex on his own show. That’s exactly what Sarah did when she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show to promote her series, I Love You, America. She jokingly commented on Jimmy’s wife, Molly Kimmel, calling her “cute,” “bright,” and “funny,” then quipped, “It’s not fair! She gets, like, new woke Jimmy. I had Man Show Jimmy.”

 

Honestly, some people seemed more upset about this breakup than the couple themselves. When Anna—who is now married to Michael Barrett—learned that Pratt was going to marry Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2019, she volunteered to perform the ceremony. She even sent a gift when their daughter, Lyla, was born in August 2020. A source told TopMob News that Anna was “very supportive” and happy for her son, Jack, to have a little sister.

It easily could have fallen apart after their difficult breakup, but four years later, these HGTV stars are thriving. They’re successfully co-parenting their children, Taylor and Brayden, and continuing to renovate dilapidated houses into beautiful homes for others.

Lenny Kravitz and his ex-wife, actress Zoë Kravitz’s mother, describe their relationship as a close, familial bond – what he called being “best friends” in a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Despite their divorce and her subsequent marriage to and split from Jason Momoa in 2020, they maintain a happy and supportive connection. As Lenny put it, it’s a beautiful example of how things can work out positively.

Since the Dancing With the Stars co-host and retired hockey player separated in 2020, they’ve consistently shown everyone they remain friendly.

When Brooks announced he was getting married to Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir in December 2024, Julianne shared her excitement on Instagram. She wrote a message wishing them both a lifetime of happiness, fun, and exciting experiences as they start this new chapter together.

The dancer, her ex-husband, and his pregnant fiancée spent a day together at the lake. She shared a photo of the four of them, calling them “these three cuties” and describing it as a special day.

I’ve been following Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck since they announced their split back in 2015, and honestly, I’m so impressed with how they co-parent. They’ve really nailed this ‘conscious uncoupling’ thing – I’ve seen pictures of them on family vacations, celebrating holidays together, and even publicly praising each other. Ben actually called Jen an ‘amazing mother’ in an interview with TopMob News a while back, and it was just so lovely to see. It’s clear Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel are the priority, and they’re doing a great job making that happen.

Nina and Ian dated for three years before splitting up in 2013, but they stayed friends. The following year, Nina began dating Nikki Reed and they quickly got married. As a result, Nina became friends with Nikki, who is known for her role in the Twilight films.

The couple broke up in July 2016 after being together for five years. The singer later shared on Howard Stern’s radio show in October that she remained very close to her ex, saying he had been both a lover and a friend for a long time.

“We love each other,” she said. “That’s it.”

Even years after The Office ended in 2013, the chemistry between its stars continues to resonate with fans. Mindy Kaling understands why people still hope they’d become a couple. In a 2019 interview with Good Housekeeping, she explained that choosing B.J. Novak as a godfather to her children felt natural, adding that he’s become more like family than just a friend.

After their divorce was finalized in 2011, the former couple easily continued to raise their son, Bronx. The Fall Out Boy singer has praised his ex-wife, calling her a fantastic mother.

It sounds like she’s moved on from her past relationship! The musician, formerly known as a JoBro, recently stated he and his ex are on good terms. He described their connection as simply being “really friendly” and maintaining a “good relationship.”

Jennifer and her Dexter co-star first connected on the set of the show in 2006, and their relationship became romantic two years later. Despite divorcing in 2011, Jennifer later confirmed they remained on good terms, with “nothing but love and respect” for each other.

Bruce Willis and Demi Moore are famously friendly exes, and their daughters – Rumer, Tallulah, and Scout – have helped them maintain that bond. So, it wasn’t surprising when they decided to quarantine together in Idaho during the pandemic. Maybe they even had a dance party or two!

Okay, so even after their divorce, like four years later, I was reading an interview with JLo from 2018, and she was still totally praising Marc Anthony! She was on Sunday Today and she said that when they were married, he seriously boosted her confidence. He pointed out her strengths, especially her voice! She said he’d tell her she was an amazing singer and to never let anyone tell her otherwise. And get this – she said she respected him so much because she genuinely thinks he’s one of the greatest singers ever. It’s just… so sweet, even after everything. I mean, he’s the father of her twins, Max and Emme, and she clearly still holds him in such high regard. It just makes me love them both even more!

Despite any personal challenges he might be facing, the actress will always support her ex-husband and former Scream colleague. She described their divorce – which happened in 2010 – as surprisingly amicable, saying on Running Wild With Bear Grylls eight years later, “It’s definitely one of the better divorces.” They’ve successfully co-parented their daughter, Coco, and maintain a positive relationship.

Although their real-life relationship ended in 2007, they still had great chemistry on screen when they starred together in the 2011 film Bad Teacher.

Okay, so things were hard after the split in 2013, obviously, but it’s amazing to see how far they’ve come! I was so thrilled to read that they’re at the point where they can go on vacation together! He actually said he likes her husband, Dave Abrams, and thinks he’s a great guy! Can you believe it? He was talking about a trip to Cancun back in 2017 with Dave, and now his fiancée, Lily Anne Harrison, and their adorable daughters – Luca, Lola, and Fiona. It just warms my heart! He also said something so beautiful about Jennie – that people come into your life for a reason, and relationships change. He said just because they aren’t together anymore doesn’t mean they can’t still love each other! It’s just… everything I’ve been hoping for!

Even though they unexpectedly separated in September 2012, the couple worked hard to appear supportive of each other for the sake of their children. In a 2014 interview with Howard Stern, she explained that she and Will remained close friends and were successfully co-parenting. She didn’t view their ten-year marriage as a failure, believing that all relationships face challenges.

The Grammy-winning artist and her ex-husband, who officially divorced in January 2024, have stayed friendly and are successfully co-parenting their son, Hayes. They even live just five minutes away from each other, making it much easier to share parenting responsibilities.

“Our stops are really easy,” Maren told The Zoe Report in May 2025, “and we’ll have family dinners.”

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2025-11-21 00:18