Life and Career
Hawkes was born John Marvin Perkins in Alexandria, Minnesota, the son of Patricia Jeanne (née Olson) and Peter John "Pete" Perkins, a farmer of wheat, corn, hogs, and cattle. He was raised in a "pastoral, small city... a midwest Scandinavian community". Hawkes graduated from Jefferson High School and moved to Austin, Texas, where he was a member of the band Meat Joy, with Gretchen Phillips. He was also a member of the musical group King Straggler with fellow actors Rodney Eastman and Brentley Gore. His first film role was in Future-Kill (1985), credited as John Perkins. He changed his stage name to John Hawkes because of another actor named John Perkins.
Hawkes played the role of Greg Penticoff in season 1 of 24. He portrayed Dustin Powers, brother of protagonist Kenny Powers, in the first season of the HBO series Eastbound & Down, and played Lennon on ABC's Lost.
His 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.
Read more about this topic: John Hawkes (actor)
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