named richard. she has never called me anything but mr. smiley. >> a conversation with ethan hawke, coming up right now. >> there is a saying that dr. king had. he said, there is always the right time to do the right thing. i just try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only about halfway to completely eliminate hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

ethan hawke has starred in movies such as training day which he earned an oscar nomination. whatever else he accomplishes, he will probably be remembered in part for the character of jesse that as part of a deeply romantic couple that moviegoers have followed for almost two decades. first, before sunrise, than before sunset. and now, before midnight. >> i knew that i might stumble on a few things that somebody over low. >> you did uncover information that the cops had overlooked. >> there are a lot of good police officers out there.

getting something wrong that means ruining people's lives. ultimately, what feels better? seeing justice done or senior block on the best-seller list. >> justice? that is not before midnight. >> that was my favorite partner of all time. smileythat's tavis from "sinister." >> you are not a femme fatale. tavis: they wanted me to remind you that movie was made for just a few million dollars and grossed almost 50. i did not get a call for before midnight, but i think my track record is pretty good.

>> you are the piece of good luck. tavis: enough of that nonsense. >> can i ask you a question? if we were meeting for the first time on a train, which you find me attractive? >> of course. >> really, as i am? >> you are asking a theoretical question. technically, wouldn't i be cheating on you? >> why can't you just say yes? i wanted you to say something romantic. you would lock eyes with and i would say, baby, you're making me as horny asa billy goat. tavis: is that all this? >> as a billy goats in of pepper

patch. i think anything worked for elvis. everywhere i look, time magazine, opened it up. there you are. >> i look like a latin lover. that i open up new york magazine. there you are in new york. and i am leading entertainment weekly. there you are. this thing is everywhere. there is already oscar buzz on this thing, particularly for your role. it isn't even out yet.

>> i think there is something that is really strange and unique and people like about being able to follow characters over so much time. didtime in my life that i anything people thought was -- felt% of it found like accident. making a love story that goes over 20 years, that idea, we thought it wouldn't work. but it fell into our lives -- in our laps. most alivee of the and vibrant and funny and smart women i have worked with or come across in any capacity. richard linklater as a great filmmaker. it makes me happy that people like it. how it makes me nervous, maybe they will stop liking it tomorrow.

i loved playing this character, so the idea that people want to see it and like it makes me very happy. tavis: tell me about the story are the because i am not a filmmaker. over two decades, that is a serious look into this relationship. >> we're also writing these movies. not only emma acting with her anr these films, it is intense thing to do, but the first time, they are strangers that me on the train. classic. if we made this movie now, it wouldn't happen. they had no way to communicate. they leave and can never see each other again. now it would be ridiculous. they would be sending nude

photos of each other. time, they lost each other. he was so deeply affected by her, when you first meet him he is an aspiring writer and he is writing about this night that he shared with her. and they have this other intense meeting about what could be. it is not about fantasy or romantic rejection, we find them in the midst of a real love affair. they are dealing with the and this takese on what the other movies ignored, which is daily life. wheno key romance alive you have to go a brochure shopping?

tavis: many times have you been asked how much of this mirrors the development and growth and a journey of your own relationships over these 20 years? been madeovies have from the fabric of our own lives. unheard it is certainly true that when i did before sunset, if you look at the movie, i weigh 15 pounds and was really depressed, and going through a divorce. he is in a happier place now, the way that these films are trying tod, we're make something. but it is not navel gazing, we are trying to make something beautiful. tavis: how do you know they use in your life will work on paper?

>> you don't know. but it is not really my life. ofyou tell the real story view, if you tell the truth, you will end up -- >> in jail. >> that would be interesting to watch. that is the point. the experiences are not that unique. we don't understand why we are misunderstood. aside from a few diabolical figures, most of us can relate to another if we tell the truth. he is not that my life is so that weing, it is just are just representatives of our generation and our development, where we are. it is about 14 minutes long.

talk to me about the reason why that first seen in works. >> you are diving into these people's lives and i think that ifhas this idea you don't manipulate people, they believe you. this take,ehearsed 21 pages of dialogue and road that has the be blocked off. the kids are asleep in the car and it was an idea that he had that when you are young, you're always talking and she is with you and your philosophizing. wednesday andof

chatting, the only time it really happens is when the kids are asleep in the back of the car. that was what started the screenplay. what are the driving? what is on their mind? so we thought this is the way to open the movie, to dive right end and be in the car with them, and i think it works. >> it is a lot of dialogue to remember. >> which of that will work on these movies, all we seem to do is run lines. when you have 21 pages that you have to get in one take, you run the lions a lot. the take is them waking up, i start to get scared, and the language of these movies is a big part of what makes them.

tavis: worthy challenge is inevitable? how was it natural? was it written to make it more interesting? is challengedhip in this film. >> we wanted to create a to well-meaning people that actually love each other and one of the best for each other, it is actually difficult. we see tons of things were he is an alcoholic or she cheated on him and it is easy to point your finger as to who is wrong, but in real life, nobody is really the bad guy. lots of real people want the best for each other and struggle to get along. but we wanted for the audience not to have a clear thinker

point. two people struggling to love each other is hard enough without any obvious bad guy. and we wanted to make a movie about that. tavis: this is your lane, not mine. >> i saw you do some pretty good work. tavis: i am just a moviegoer here. but this does not strike me as a sequel, it strikes me as the story of these lives as they advance. fell mark murphy, who what other series of movies -- is there something that has done that that i need to check out? more obvious in literature. the obvious example would be the

rapid series, if you read them as a whole, they work. there are lots of examples in literature. in movies, there are not that many. that is the truth. they exist, but i can't think of anything besides the trufeau films. of whythat was part you guys thought it could work once, twice, three times? >> we never thought the first one would work. the fun thing about working with richard is he doesn't care if it works. nobody is going to care, nothing is happening. we should call of woody allen and somebody needs to write some jokes. her, i am interested

in you. if somebody can't sit and be humanou and see a real being, this is not for them. theses the truth of movies. the only three people that wanted the first movie to be made our rec, julie, and i. the time, because of benefits of home video, we are the lowest grossing trilogy of all time. our joke is that everybody that love the first two went to of the third one, it would be a physical failure. we do these things because we care about them, and over time, we found like-minded people. amazed at the response.

tavis: that is why i started with that. this has caught on, people beyond the three of you interested to see how these things turn out. aboutoes that say to you the moviegoer? give me a profile or some words about what it says about the moviegoer interested in this trilogy? people oute a lot of there that don't want to be talked down to and most of the stuff we get for said. talkse it is something to about and something to do, but if you go see a romantic movie, it is because the girl is thating you, her son movie

you feel has no connecti to how you feel about romance or a woman practice some macho point of view about adults. what is unique about these movies, they are without a specific agenda or gender. it is not sleepless in seattle woman crawling across the transs am. my character has a lot of problems and doesn't handle everything right. and he is still a human being that wants to try to have a good life. is the same way. she is still worthy of being loved. clear three- dimensional portraits of men and women trying to love each other very often.

of being abletion to exercise your own artistic freedom or agency to do something that matters to you, even if it doesn't matter to the audience, tell me more about that freedom because everyone of us wants to be free or liberated. that is not always easy to do. that with yourw show, you have a certain obligation to your audience to give them something viable, but if all you did was talk about your specific political agenda or fangs -- if you did not broaden your dad, the show would suffer. sometimes, you get creative freedom and you get to do something special, you do it

with a pure heart and nobody cares. but you care and you learn something. people really responded to training day. that there was a movie i did right before it that somehow, my confidence went to a new level. nobody saw that movie and i did not win any awards for that movie, but i knew that it took me somewhere and that is what gave me confidence to be part of that. each person has to navigate what works for them and if you're a musician, sometimes you have to play a wedding. tavis: take that answer just now to mean that for you, this project has already been successful?

or is there a benchmark that you want to reach? the first one, the success was just getting it done. >> the second one of was to be with my friends again. the second one, people noticed. that felt good. this is going to sound corny probably, but a lot of people reviewing the movie have finally, i felt, really understood or starting to understand richard lyng clatters work. nklater's work. in that way, it is a success already for me. you have watched friends struggle and do great work, but

when a friend hits it, and people notice, i am happy. yous: the last time i saw was in new york, a great piece of work. you were happy with that run? >> doing theater, it was a great moment in time. when you came, it was a particularly great night because it captured something that i really believed in. censor was coming out all over ae country, and i am doing check off apply on thirteenth play on 13thkov street. if i can keep mixing it up like that, just not being controlled by what other people think it is

high or low. tavis: i get the sense that it is necessary for you to have this balance. you don't always have to do blockbusters. why is that mixed so critical? you're just ornery like that. >> successful people get a trademark. feel like it puts you in a little glass box and you can't do anything else. on thedo something play, i want to communicate. the character in sinister was fantastic. the whole family gets killed, it is terrible. tried to play a character and make the audience care about

such a person, you learn doing chekov on 13th street. each thing makes me better in a different way. and i don't want to be in anybody else's barks. >> the project is called before midnight. tavis: you will want to check it out, trust me. tomorrow night, ethan hawke will appear again. 200ay night happens to be 0th episode. i appreciate that. he is one of the persons you will see featured in this wonderful this.f watching.for

as always, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time as we celebrate the 2000 shows and a look at some of the exceptional guests over 10 years. we will see you then. >> there is a saying that dr. king had. he said, there is always the right time to do the right thing. i just try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only about halfway to completely eliminate hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.

>> be more. pbs.

she began her career in early television and then found success on the broadway stage but it was her film work that we all still know her for today, from two classic films north by northwest and on the water front all the way up to superman returns she continues to work today at a vibrant 87 years old. hello i'm ernie manouse coming up on innerviews our conversation with academy award-winning actress eva marie saint.

♪ in your opinion, what makes a classic film a classic? >> i think the film has to be about the human condition. and between people. so that there's a story there that everyone can relate to and they remember it forever. one of my favorite films is brief encounter. are you familiar with that? really? oh. it's a wonderful english film with celia johnson about two people in a marriage, and it's just brilliant. you must see it. that's my favorite film because it's about people. it's not about effects for