Ethan Hawke Doesn't Believe In Monogamy. Here's Why

Ethan Hawke starred in movies like 1994's Reality Bites and 1995's Before Sunrise (which, of course, was followed by 2004's Before Sunset and 2013's Before Midnight), where his characters connected with a special someone on-screen. However, in real life, the actor has an arguably less-than-romantic view of one-on-one relationships. That is, like fellow stars Scarlett Johansson and Sienna Miller, Hawke doesn't believe in monogamy, which may have caused an issue in his former marriage... despite his denial.

Hawke was previously married to Kill Bill actress Uma Thurman — the mother of his daughter, Stranger Things' star Maya, and his son, Levon. After six years, the couple's marriage came to an end when there was speculation that he may have been unfaithful with the family's nanny, Ryan Shawhughes, according to HuffPost. Although he's denied ever cheating on Thurman, Hawke did end up marrying Shawhughes in 2008. And even though he's in a committed relationship now, that doesn't mean that he's changed his mind about monogamy.

So, what are Hawke's views exactly?

Many (most?) people would likely say that cheating on your significant other is a bad thing, but Ethan Hawke told Mr. Porter (via HuffPost) in 2013 that when it comes to "monogamy and fidelity," he thinks "people have such a childish view of" the situation. The star continued by summing up what usually happens in unfaithful circumstances — that people jump to saying, "'He's cheated so he's bad, she's cheated so she's bad,' as opposed to a recognition that our species is not monogamous."

Indeed, according to Psychology Today, "modern society, especially in the Western world, advocate monogamy, which goes against our predilection for multiple sexual partners." And Kit Opie, an evolutionary anthropologist from University College London, told CNN in 2016, "The modern monogamous culture has only been around for just 1,000 years."

While science and history may back up Hawke's assessment of human tendencies and what that means for relationships, the fact is that the actor is still married to former nanny Ryan Shawhughes, who he now shares two children with.

"My relationship with my present wife is thrilling to me and I'm committed to it. But neither she nor I know what shape the future will come in," Hawke explained to Mr. Porter. "Sexual fidelity can't be the whole thing you hang your relationship on. If you really love somebody you want them to grow, but you don't get to define how that happens. They do."