Ethan Hawke Supports Madonna Supporting Gypsies

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Nov 1st 2009 09:24AM

At an August concert in Bucharest on her "Sticky & Sweet" tour, Madonna called for an end to widespread discrimination against Eastern Europe's Gypsies - and her stance provoked boos from thousands of fans in Romania. Now 'Reality Bites' star Ethan Hawke, visiting Romania to help promote his mother's charity supporting education for Gypsy children, placed the pop superstar alongside Bob Marley and John Lennon as part of a tradition of artists speaking out against racism.

"She transcended being a pop star," he told reporters. "She drew international attention and shone the spotlight on a level of racism and the need for greater education," Hawke said.

"I don't have an agenda, Madonna doesn't have an agenda. We aren't politicians," Hawke said.

Hawke, 38, was to speak later Saturday at the Ovidiu Rom charity Halloween ball. He and his mother, Leslie Hawke, the charity's president, were already dressed in costume: the actor in top hat and tails and his mother in a Japanese-style kimono, black wig and geisha-like makeup.

A pair of Madonna's Christian Dior shoes with autographed skyscraper gold heels are to be raffled off at the ball, which is to be held in the giant palace of the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Among the other prizes is a gold chain provided by actress Vanessa Redgrave.

Hawke has been coming to Romania to support his mother's work since 2000, he said.

"I feel I can do something," he told reporters, "instead of being part of the problem."

Romania has the largest number of Roma in Europe, numbering officially half a million, but whose population is believed to be as high as 2 million. The European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency has said Gypsies face "overt discrimination" in housing, health care and education.

Romania, home to the Dracula legend, may have influenced two-time Academy Award nominee Hawke's latest movie, 'Daybreakers,' in which he plays a researcher in the year 2019 facing a plague that has transformed the world's population into vampires. The movie comes out in 2010.

Prince Vlad the Impaler, the Romanian warlord whose cruelty inspired Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, 'Dracula' has spawned dozens of Hollywood movies about vampires in the Transylvania region.

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Lady Madonna

Madonna eats pizza for a skit on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009. In the scene Madonna and David Letterman eat at Angelo's Restaurant next door to the Ed Sullivan Theater (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

SYKEC

Madonna Snapshots

Madonna visits "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by James Devaney/WireImage.com To license this image (58524423), contact WireImage.com

James Devaney/WireImage.com

*Mandatory Credit Madonna eats at Angelo's Pizza while she visits "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by Brian Ach/WireImage.com To license this image (58523639), contact WireImage.com

Brian Ach/WireImage.com

David Letterman and Madonna visit the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com To license this image (58523808), contact WireImage.com

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com

Madonna visits "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by Soul Brother/FilmMagic.com To license this image (58523698), contact FilmMagic.com

Soul Brother/FilmMagic.com

NHL player Henrik Lundqvist visits the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com To license this image (58523811), contact WireImage.com

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com

Musician Harry Connick Jr. visits the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com To license this image (58523803), contact WireImage.com

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com

Madonna visits the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City. Madonna Visits "Late Show With David Letterman" - September 30, 2009 Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States September 30, 2009 Photo by Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com To license this image (58523766), contact WireImage.com

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com

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Tags: Ethan Hawke, EthanHawke, good news, GoodNews, Madonna

Comments

(17)

Sunday 01 November

By phurbee951

Vote down Vote up Report this

I sure am glad he spoke out on this. I've been up all night worried about it. LOL

By kissyoubaby19

sssssssssss

By Ziggy

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Who cares what this nobody says

By Chris

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Why does AOL allow people to post about diet aids, male enhancement, dating sites, and the like? Frankly it makes me much less likely to stay on a page or return to it when there are posts like these. And that makes me far less likely to see any advertising someone has paid for on that page or article. The only conclusion is that these posters are paying AOL per post.

By Enough Already

Siteseeing in areas with a heavy gypsy population is virtually impossible. It hurts those businesses that need tourism. Honestly, they are very brazen in their approach toward tourist and especially the children.

By BIGMISTAKE ! ! !

REMEMBER CHERS SONG .......... GYPSIES , TRAMPS AND THIEVES I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MADONNA TAKE A STROLL ALL ALONE DOWN A GYPSY AREA IN EUROPE TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

By Rhett

It's about time the Gypsys got a spokesman. I always admired the rings in their ears!

By John

Modonna is a huge waist of skin, a dirty filthy piece of garbage and should be given to Gypsies to use as they see fit along with her ex husband Sean Penn.

By V

It's funny you hate Madonna for no real reason at all, and can't even spell her name right on top of it you illiterate moron. Try learning how to spell at least before you start bashing people that you have no idea what you're talking about anyway.

Monday 02 November

By neice

I have no ill feelings toward gypsys, I have never been to europe, some people speak of them as they are a pack of wild animals, my grandfather let some gypsys camp on his property for a couple of weeks this was 40 years ago, but they were very helpful, they helped him with the huge garden he had, also help him fix his tractor, none of us grandkids were kidnapped when they left, nothing stolen, my grandmother has a stroke at that time and they even helped her get better, so my experience with them wasnt horrible, maybe its a respect issue, they are just nomads, I kinda relish the idea of living life at the moment as they do,moving around considering the soil their home,no caring for material objects as so many people do, I am sure their are some bad ones perhaps, but good ones as well, isnt that in any race, creed religion.

By Non-Nazi

Wow, I have to say that there are some major racists posting here - did I actually just read someone advocating Hitler's approach??? The Roma (correct term for the Gypsies) are the most persecuted minority in Europe. Rom women go to the hospital and come out having been unwillingly sterilized! Children are denied admission to public schools, or else segregated from the white children. Neonazis go on rampages in Hungary, shooting Roma (including CHILDREN) and burning up their homes. Madonna's statement in Romania is the first thing she's done that I like, and I hope she keeps it up. Bravo to Ethan Hawke (and his mother) for speaking out and doing something. But these are nothing short of human rights abuses, and anything else written here about the Roma is LIE. You don't feel safe walking near them in Europe? You probably don't feel safe walking in Harlem at night, then... but it's illegal here in the US to go in and start killing/evicting African-Americans. The situation in Eastern Europe for the Rom is analagous to what it was like for African-Americans in Mississippi under Jim Crow. We're talking about human beings, and aside from that Hitler-loving poster, we're all the same.

By buster hymen

It's pretty obvious that noone at AOL is moderating
this site. I report those commercial posts all the time but they are never removed.

By Me

Have you ever lived amongst these SUB HUMANS?
They're not fit to live in civilization.
Look up Marian Cozma, and you'll know
what I mean. And that is only one instance
out of millions. It is very easy to pass judgement from this distance. Have them as neighbors, and you'll learn to hate them in no time at all.

By iwillbecause

When is Madonna just going away somewhere..I'm sick to death of her. Having worked in many medical settings where gypsies go, they steal everything that is not nailed down...even patient charts for Heaven's sake.Cher was right: gypsies, tramps and thieves.

By donald

being a gypsy myself and my family having been in america for the past 4 generations i find it appoling what some people will say on the net i wish some white bread redneck comes to all your houses tonight and rapes your wife and steals your money just because one person starts a steriotype doesnt mean you freaks have to condone it jeez get a life oh and by the way i dont rob or steal i live in a house in philly and i have for 15 yrs and i pay taxes to a holes

Dear,Donald I wrote a post on 1st page, about gypsys that I meet many years sgo that stayed on my grandfathers land for 2 weeks or so, they helped him with fixing his tractor and the garden, as I stated they didnt steal and when they left all children were accounted for, my grandfather treated them with respect and thats what he got back, some of these people on the net are closed minded, and look for any reason to create hate, and sling terrible words, theives, are among every race , creed, religion as I stated, I think people fear what they dont understand, and are always looking for the ugly in all, insteed of the beauty, I have admired the lifestyle of the gypsy from the day I meet them, living alot like nomads is the words I used, They live for each day, love life, and the soil they walk on, material objects are minor to them, now this is what I noticed at the time, this was 40 yrs ago, family is very important, children were well loved, I played with them and remember like it was yesterday, they also helped my grandmother who had a stroke, so when these closed minded people get the nerve to walk the slums of N.Y. the bronx, and other such dear places here in USA, where gangbangers run the neighborhoods, 100 percent your car will get jacked,and the best for last some crazy drunk/drugged redneck kills your family behind the wheel of a truck, or goes on a shooting spree, so yes all these above are neighbors of all these closeminded people??? also most of them will call themself christians, always, So Donald love your family, love the history of your family, be proud and screw these hipocrites.

By geo

Ethan,if you love so much this gypsy people,from my country,why don't you go ahead,and move into their country,Rromania?Or,maybe you,guys,you do this just to keep the gypsy people to spread all over the world,right?You should visit India....

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