Maya Hawke Uncovered: Childhood, Stranger Things, Music, and Finding Her Own Voice

You might know her as Robin Buckley—the sarcastic, quick-witted, ice cream-slinging fan favorite from Stranger Things. But before she was cracking secret Russian codes in a Scoops Ahoy uniform, Maya Hawke was navigating her own way into the entertainment world. The daughter of Hollywood heavyweights Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, she grew up surrounded by film sets and storytelling. But while acting seemed like a natural path, she didn’t just coast on her last name—she put in the work.

After studying at Juilliard, she left early to play Jo March in Little Women (2017), a role that set the stage for her breakout as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things. Beyond acting, Hawke is also a musician, blending folk and indie influences into songs that feel personal and introspective.

But Maya Hawke’s journey is more than a series of roles or songs—it’s about finding her own voice in a world that already knew her name. From film sets to recording studios, she’s steadily carving out a path that’s uniquely hers.

Early Life and Family Background

Maya Ray Thurman Hawke was born on July 8, 1998, in New York City under the zodiac sign Cancer. As the daughter of Hollywood icons Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, she grew up in a home filled with art, literature, and film, but her parents worked to ensure she had as normal a childhood as possible. She often recalls playing games, taking train rides, and being immersed in creative storytelling rather than the glare of fame.

Maya has a younger brother, Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke, born in 2002, who shares her passion for acting and fashion. From her father’s second marriage to Ryan Shawhughes, she has two half-sisters, Clementine Jane and Indiana Hawke, and on her mother’s side, another half-sister, Luna.

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Her family’s artistic and intellectual lineage runs deep. Her maternal grandmother, Nena von Schlebrügge, was a model who worked with renowned photographers in the 1950s and 60s, while her maternal grandfather, Robert Thurman, is a distinguished Buddhist scholar and writer. Maya’s paternal lineage includes an insurance actuary grandfather and a grandmother involved in charity work, giving her a unique mix of artistic, intellectual, and socially conscious influences.

Growing Up in New York City

Maya Hawke spent most of her childhood in New York City, surrounded by a rich artistic and cultural environment. She lived in various parts of the city, including the Chelsea Hotel, where she and her father, Ethan Hawke, resided for a time. The legendary hotel, known for housing renowned artists, writers, and musicians, played a role in shaping her artistic sensibilities.

As a child, Maya developed an appreciation for film through frequent visits to Chelsea Cinemas and Alan’s Alley Video Store, where she rented classic and contemporary movies. She also attended Sunday classic film screenings at Film Forum with her family, immersing herself in cinema history. Beyond the city, she spent time in Rhinebeck, New York, where her mother, Uma Thurman, owned a home. This gave her a contrast between urban and rural lifestyles.

A Creative and Grounded Upbringing

Despite having two famous parents, Maya describes her upbringing as relatively down-to-earth. She has often shared in interviews that her parents prioritized experiences over Hollywood glamour, engaging in activities like playing games and taking train rides together.

Her father, Ethan Hawke, an acclaimed actor, writer, and director, played a significant role in her creative development. They often discussed literature, poetry, and theater. Her mother, Uma Thurman, known for films like Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, was a major Hollywood presence, but Maya avoided watching many of her mother’s films growing up.

Maya’s childhood was filled with storytelling, books, and artistic exploration. She recalled having deep conversations about Flannery O’Connor with her father and attending Broadway musicals with her parents. Instead of traditional religious services, her family’s version of Sunday worship involved classic film screenings at Film Forum.

Maya’s Personality Growing Up

Maya was an imaginative, sensitive, and introspective child with a strong moral compass. She once put herself in timeout after breaking her mother’s lipstick, demonstrating an early sense of accountability. She was deeply emotional and would cry for hours after watching certain films, such as The Outsiders with her father at age 14.

During her preteen years, she experienced moments of intense self-reflection and sought alternative forms of healing. She once attended a spiritual ceremony in New York City, surrounded by individuals using crystals and rituals to help her navigate her emotions.

Maya was also known for her unique fashion sense and strong opinions. At 12, she was an environmental activist, scolding adults for using curse words and making bold personal statements through her clothing choices. She frequently wore nightgowns to school, fully believing she might have magical powers. However, as she grew older, her social confidence wavered. One Halloween, she wore an elaborate handmade parrot costume, only to realize other girls had dressed as “sexy” characters. Feeling out of place, she locked herself in a closet and cried.

Despite these moments of insecurity, Maya remained deeply curious and engaged with the world around her. Her sensitivity, creativity, and strong sense of justice were qualities that defined her personality and helped shape her artistic career.

Early Interests and Inspirations

From a young age, Maya showed a deep passion for acting, literature, and music. She participated in school plays and poetry recitals, often making up stories, singing, and dressing in costumes. She had a fascination with fairy tales and mythology, which she explored through books and theatrical performances.

She also developed an early love for animals, frequently visiting the zoo, and painted alongside her father at night, playfully calling their creations “masterpieces.” She often borrowed films recommended by her father from Alan’s Alley Video Store, expanding her knowledge of cinema.

Maya had a strong yearning for adulthood, choosing films like Paper Moon and The Professional, which reflected her desire to be more grown-up. She was also deeply immersed in Broadway culture, following national tours of musicals like Hairspray, Wicked, and South Pacific. One of her favorite childhood movies was A Bug’s Life, which she watched countless times on VHS.

Her love for film deepened at age 14 when she watched The Outsiders with her father, who had first seen it at the same age. She later joked that the film helped her understand her father’s personal style. Family traditions like attending Sunday screenings at Film Forum further nurtured her appreciation for classic cinema.

Discovering Music and Acting

Maya’s interest in music started early. She wrote songs as a child, though she didn’t immediately pursue a music career. Her father, who played guitar and sang, encouraged her musical creativity. She would often stay up late with him, writing poetry, playing guitar, and experimenting with melodies.

She admired multi-talented artists who excelled in both acting and music, which influenced her desire to explore both fields. Inspired by folk and rock legends like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, she experimented with songwriting long before officially launching her music career.

Her passion for acting was solidified when she attended a dress rehearsal for The Cherry Orchard starring her father, which left a lasting impression. A defining moment came at age 12 when she voluntarily watched The Winter’s Tale twice in a row. Ethan Hawke later remarked that anyone willing to sit through a three-hour Shakespeare rehearsal twice was destined for a life in theater and film.

Overcoming Dyslexia and Finding Her Educational Path

Maya has spoken candidly about her struggles with dyslexia, which made reading challenging. She initially attended the prestigious Brearley School, an all-girls private school in New York City, but hid her dyslexia by memorizing books. By third grade, when longer chapter books exposed her difficulties, she was asked to leave and transferred to Winward School, which specializes in students with learning differences.

She later attended the Rudolf Steiner School, known for its Waldorf education system, which emphasizes artistic expression and creativity. This alternative approach allowed her to thrive and fostered her interest in theater. She credits this education style with shaping her as an artist.

After high school, she enrolled at Juilliard to study acting but left after one year when she was cast as Jo March in Little Women (2017), her first major acting role.

Early Acting Career and First Roles

Maya Hawke’s professional acting career began in 2017 when she was cast as Jo March in the BBC adaptation of Little Women. Portraying one of literature’s most beloved characters was a significant milestone, and her performance was widely praised, showcasing her natural ability for period dramas—a theme that would later recur in her career.

Following Little Women, Maya sought roles that would highlight her versatility. She auditioned for Sofia Coppola’s planned adaptation of The Little Mermaid, a darker, myth-based retelling of the classic story. Although the project was ultimately canceled, the experience provided her with valuable industry exposure.

Her film debut came in 2019 with a small role in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She played Flower Child, a member of the Manson Family, marking a significant step in her career, particularly given Tarantino’s longstanding professional relationship with her mother, Uma Thurman.

Breakthrough Role in Stranger Things

Maya’s breakthrough came later in 2019 when she joined the cast of Stranger Things for its third season. She portrayed Robin Buckley, a witty and intelligent teenager who works at the Scoops Ahoy ice cream shop alongside Steve Harrington (Joe Keery). Initially apprehensive about joining such an established series, she worried about fan reception, but Robin quickly became a favorite due to her sharp humor and undeniable chemistry with Steve.

One of the standout moments from the season was Robin’s coming-out scene, where she confides in Steve that she is a lesbian. Maya has described this as one of the most meaningful performances of her career, feeling honored to represent an LGBTQ+ character in such a widely watched series. She also appreciated the creative freedom the Duffer Brothers gave actors in shaping their characters, making the role feel even more personal.

Filming Stranger Things came with physical demands. The mall chase sequence, where Robin and Steve flee from Russian agents, required her to run “a thousand times,” and she spent three days tied to a chair filming the “truth serum” scene, where Robin spits in a character’s face—an action the other actor insisted be done authentically rather than faked. Another challenge was learning Russian, as Robin helps decipher a secret code. Though she doesn’t recall much of the language now, she enjoyed the challenge of learning something new for the role.

As the show approaches its final season, set to premiere in 2025, Maya has expressed mixed emotions. She likens the experience to “graduating from college,” feeling both excitement for the future and nostalgia for the journey.

Expanding Her Career Beyond Stranger Things

Beyond Stranger Things, Maya has taken on diverse roles to showcase her range. In 2022, she starred in Netflix’s dark comedy Do Revenge, demonstrating sharp comedic timing opposite Camila Mendes. She then joined Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City (2023), gaining a deep appreciation for his meticulous, stylized filmmaking.

A deeply personal project came in Wildcat (2023), where she played author Flannery O’Connor, a film she worked on alongside her father, Ethan Hawke. The role demanded intense preparation, immersing her in O’Connor’s religious and philosophical perspectives.

Continuing to expand her career, Maya starred in Brady Corbet’s historical drama The Brutalist (2024) alongside Joel Edgerton and Marion Cotillard, proving her dramatic range. She also ventured into voice acting, lending her voice to the character Anxiety in Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (2024), a role she found deeply personal. In May 2025, she is set to make stage debut in a Sarah Ruhl play at The Signature Theatre in New York City.

Music Career and Artistic Growth

While acting remains Maya’s primary focus, she has also built a successful music career. She started writing songs as a child but officially debuted as a musician in 2019 with the singles “To Love a Boy” and “Stay Open.” Her music, heavily influenced by folk and 1970s rock, draws inspiration from artists like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.

Her debut album, Blush (2020), received praise for its poetic lyricism and emotional storytelling. She followed it with MOSS (2022) and later released Chaos Angel (2024), her most personal and ambitious work to date. Some of the songs on Chaos Angel were written years earlier, but she waited until she fully understood music production before including them in an album.

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Maya’s songwriting process is unique; she often writes essays and thematic concepts before composing melodies, grounding her lyrics in storytelling. Many of the songs on Chaos Angel were conceived during the filming of Wildcat, as she balanced both acting and music. Notably, the album’s opening track features a snippet of her 11-year-old voice, recorded during a childhood spiritual ceremony.

She prioritizes live instrumentation and finds performing on stage to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of her artistic career. Though she once felt insecure about her musical abilities, she has grown more confident, frequently collaborating with musicians who inspire her creativity.

Whether in film, television, or music, Maya Hawke continues to establish herself as a multifaceted artist, embracing challenges and evolving with each project.

Personal Life

Maya Hawke prefers to keep her personal life private, though she has shared intriguing details in various interviews. She has acknowledged both the privileges and pressures of having famous parents, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, and emphasizes that while her background opened doors, maintaining a career requires persistence and hard work. She remains close with her father and has collaborated with him on multiple projects, including Wildcat (2023).

Mental Health and Creativity

Maya has been open about her struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, which she incorporates into her music and acting. In Inside Out 2 (2024), she voiced the character Anxiety, a role she deeply related to, as she had previously created a personal voice to express her own anxious thoughts in real life. She also enjoys incorporating affirmations into her songwriting, focusing on self-acceptance and resilience.

Relationships

Maya Hawke has had a few public relationships while maintaining a relatively private personal life. She was first linked to Gus Wenner, the President of Rolling Stone, in 2019. Later, she was in a relationship with British actor Tom Sturridge from 2020 to 2022, which drew attention due to their age difference. Since 2022, she has been dating musician Spencer Barnett. The couple has been seen together at public events, including Dior’s Fall/Winter 2022 show. Maya values deep, inspiring connections and often blends her personal and professional life through collaborations.

Artistic Pursuits

Maya thrives when balancing multiple creative projects, finding inspiration in the intersection of acting, music, and writing. She follows a structured but intuitive creative process, often writing essays and conceptualizing themes before composing melodies. Her latest album, Chaos Angel (2024), features songs written over several years, with some pieces originating from her teenage years. The opening track includes a snippet of her 11-year-old voice from a childhood recording during a spiritual ceremony she attended.

Personal Interests and Influences

Despite her success, Maya remains deeply connected to her artistic roots. She enjoys watercolor painting and poetry, both of which serve as personal creative outlets. She often integrates these passions into her music, using storytelling and imagery to craft her lyrics. She also appreciates classic films, frequently revisiting Nashville (1975), a film she considers one of her greatest artistic influences.

Views on Celebrity Culture

Maya has mixed feelings about modern celebrity culture and social media. While she acknowledges its impact on career opportunities, she prefers focusing on meaningful artistic work rather than curating a social media presence. She has also spoken about the shift in fame from her parents’ era to the present, noting that social media has drastically altered the experience of being in the public eye.

Connection to Stranger Things

With Stranger Things having concluded, Maya describes the transition as bittersweet, comparing it to “graduating from college.” While she is excited about future projects, she admits the show was a defining part of her career and personal growth. She remains grateful for the friendships she built through the series, often referring to the cast as family.

Philosophy and Future Aspirations

Maya maintains a grounded outlook on life, balancing her artistic ambitions with a commitment to authenticity and meaningful human connections. She values creative freedom, prioritizes personal growth, and continues to explore new artistic avenues while staying true to her unique voice.

Maya Hawk Trivia

Early Life & Childhood

• She Hid Her Dyslexia Until 3rd Grade: While attending Brearley School, Maya memorized books to conceal her dyslexia. However, as she progressed to longer chapter books, her struggles became apparent.
• She Attended Alternative Schools for Learning Differences: After leaving Brearley, Maya enrolled at Windward School, which specializes in supporting children with dyslexia. She later transferred to Rudolf Steiner School, known for its creative teaching methods.
• She Had a Theatrical ‘Aha’ Moment at 12: Watching her father perform in The Cherry Orchard ignited Maya’s passion for acting.
• She Was an Intense, Moralistic Child: At 12, Maya was highly political, a strict environmentalist, and would admonish adults for swearing.
• Her First School Play Was Jenny and the School for Cats: Maya portrayed one of the three Jennys. Her breakout school performance was as the Artful Dodger in Oliver!.

Acting & Career

• She Left Juilliard After One Year for Little Women (2017): Maya departed Juilliard to portray Jo March in her first major television role.
• She Prefers Film Over TV for Character Development: Maya finds film acting more straightforward, as TV characters continually evolve, making their arcs less defined.
• She Played Flower Child in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Despite her lifelong acquaintance with Quentin Tarantino, Maya auditioned for the role.
• She Thinks More Characters Should Have Died in Stranger Things 4: In a lie detector interview, Maya expressed that the show had too many characters and suggested that some should have been written out earlier.
• She Originally Did Not Want to Go into Show Business: As a child, Maya aspired to be a farmer but changed her mind after participating in a high school play.
• She Did Not Get a Ticket to the Oscars for Inside Out 2: Despite voicing Anxiety in Pixar’s highest-grossing animated film, Maya wasn’t invited to the Oscars.
• She Is Making Her Stage Acting Debut in 2025: Maya is set to star as Eurydice in Sarah Ruhl’s play at Signature Theatre in NYC, with performances scheduled from May 13 to June 22, 2025.

Music & Creative Process

• Her Album Chaos Angel Includes a Childhood Recording: The opening track features a snippet of 11-year-old Maya’s voice from a spiritual ceremony she attended.
• She Writes Music Like a Screenplay: Maya prefers composing essays and creating storyboards before writing her songs.
• She Used Psychedelic Mushrooms for Self-Exploration: Maya believes psychedelics can help explore emotions but jokes that they once convinced her that “God is a mushroom.”
• She Originally Had a ‘Drunk Disney Princess’ Stage Persona: Initially, Maya’s live performances were overly cheerful and self-deprecating, but she later refined her approach.
• She Co-Wrote ‘Black Ice’ With Her Brother and Boyfriend: The song was a deeply personal project involving both Levon Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson.

Personal Life & Beliefs

• She Prefers FaceTiming Over Texting: Maya dislikes spelling errors, so she opts for FaceTime, especially when communicating with family.
• She Knows Social Media Affects Casting Decisions: Maya has highlighted that some producers consider actors’ Instagram follower counts when making casting decisions, influencing whether a film gets funded.
• She Feels Like She’s ‘Graduating’ From Stranger Things: As the show concludes, Maya describes the experience as both exciting and nerve-wracking.
• She Turns to Her Parents for Emotional, Not Industry Advice: Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman assist Maya in navigating the emotional challenges of fame rather than providing career guidance.
• She Jokingly Calls Her Family ‘The Boring Indie Kardashians’: Given that many family members work in entertainment, Maya made this comparison in jest.
• She Used to Fear Romantic Commitments: Maya once believed she wasn’t lovable but has since learned to balance independence and relationships.

Miscellaneous & Fun Facts

• Her Favorite Movie is Nashville (1975): Maya has watched it multiple times in different formats.
• She Bought Her First Guitar With Cash From Her First Tour: Maya named the guitar ‘Butch’ and considers it a significant milestone in her music career.
• She Always Carries a Book (Even If She Doesn’t Read It): As a child, Maya packed numerous books for trips simply because she liked having them nearby.
• She Became a ‘Special Blanket Adult’: Though she didn’t have a security blanket as a kid, Maya now always carries a scarf or blanket for comfort.
• She Watches The Family Stone for Comfort: Maya enjoys bittersweet films but avoids overly sad ones.
• She Thinks It’s Rude When Cats Don’t Like Her: Maya loves cats but believes they find her too needy.
• A Producer Once Told Her to ‘Close Her Mouth to Look Prettier’: Maya was upset by this note, as it contradicted her character’s unselfconscious nature.

References

Zack Sang Show: https://youtu.be/etabviPaEVg Vogue : https://youtu.be/5i8bPjaipV4 Jimmy Fallon: https://youtu.be/Por1MeYwKlU Vanity Fair: https://youtu.be/o8-ZDIEvDJk GQ: https://youtu.be/sVOhLAdwAlE Buzzfeed Celeb: https://youtu.be/PlDUiC3IVos Josh Horowitz: https://youtu.be/7sTi5SlCq4s Pod Crushed: https://youtu.be/xSS6Wph94Xw Kyle Meredith: https://youtu.be/Q_O1m0XgxPk, https://youtu.be/6RKcgP7DCbA Los Angeles Times : https://youtu.be/iTiE3bxR7J4 Letter Boxd:https://youtu.be/6vH0YshPRRA Jenny McCarthy: https://youtu.be/7wousUci_sQ