Maya Hawke admits to having dyslexia and discusses preparing for role of a lifetime in Little Women miniseries
- The 19-year-old daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke plays Jo March in the upcoming PBS miniseries which will air on May 13
- Appearing in the April issue of Elle, the actress and model shared that growing up the character was a huge inspiration to her
- Although she struggled with dyslexia as a child, Maya revealed she is now driven to 'pursue my love for reading and writing, even when it was challenging'
- She also admits she sought guidance from both her parents while preparing for the role
When your parents are Hollywood royalty, carving out a credible acting career that is in no way overshadowed by their fame and influence is no easy thing.
But Maya Hawke, the 19-year-old daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke has successfully managed to eclipse her A-list lineage by taking on the role of a lifetime to play one of literary's most beloved heroines.
Airing in the US on May 13 on PBS, Maya plays the lead role of Jo March in her breakout role in the miniseries adaptation of Little Women, and in an interview with Elle, shared that she's always felt a connection to the character.
Fancy: Maya Hawke, 19, has discussed fame, celebrity and her battle with dyslexia in the April issue of Elle
Family business: Maya is the eldest daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman (pictured left at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 3 and right in 2014)
Breakout star: The 19-year-old is gearing up for the role of a lifetime as she prepares to play Jo March in the miniseries adaptation of the classic book and film Little Women
Crop to it in Maya's Tom Ford tuxedo jacket
Maya Hawke is a rising star whose face we're sure we'll be seeing a lot more of lately. She's the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman so we know there's talent running through her blood, plus the young actress is starring in the new Little Women miniseries.
Maya appears in the latest issue of Elle magazine dressed in a Tom Ford tuxedo jacket, wide-leg trousers (buy below) and a Gap t-shirt.
We adore the cropped silhouette and wide satin lapels on Maya's topper. Click right to buy the jacket on the brand's website. At $2950 it's a pretty steep investment, but well worth it since this is a classic look that will never go out of style.
Don't fancy spending thousands of dollars on the look? Check out our affordable alternatives below including a nearly identical option from Missguided for only $60!
The role of Jo March was made famous on screen in 1994 when Winona Ryder starred alongside Christian Bale and Gabriel Byrne in the film version.
'Jo was a big inspiration to me as far as having the drive to pursue my love for reading and writing, even when it was challenging,' she shared in the April issue of the magazine.
'In a lot of ways, I have been preparing for this character my entire life,' she added.
Diagnosed with the learning disorder dyslexia as a child, acting and modelling came easier to the Brooklyn native than school work, and she frequently changed schools as she struggled with the academic side of her education.
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Strong: The 19-year-old actress admitted to Elle magazine that she has a lot in common with the character of Jo, who was an inspiration for her growing up with dyslexia
Like mother, like daughter: The resemblance between Maya and Uma is clear to see in the young actress's Elle shoot
However, when she finally enrolled in Saint Anne's School in Brooklyn, a school that emphasizes artistic creativity and does not grade work, Maya hit her stride and the artistic nature of the school led her to acting.
While Hawke compares her struggles with writing to 'pulling teeth,' acting has always felt 'like swimming, breathing, or kissing' and performing has always come easy to her.
Maya was thrust into the public eye practically from birth, and suffered the same scrutiny when her parents divorced in August 2005.
While filming Little Women, she sought guidance from her parents as she wondered if she should focus more on the lighting or on her narrative in the scene, to which both parents replied, 'Do both!'
Grown up: Maya was thrust into the public eye from birth and also when her parents divorced in August 2005 (pictured at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscars party)
Big shoes to fill: The role of Josephine March was made famous on screen in 1994 by Winona Ryder, pictured on screen with Christian Bale who portrayed Laurie
Her recent decision to drop out of Julliard's famed acting school was not taken lightly, nor she says, what is an opportunity for her to simply seek celebrity, but rather to give her a chance to work on the PBS series.
However, that doesn't mean she craves the celebrity spotlight and even though her star is on the rise, she's doesn't covet media attention or column inches.
'The world of celebrity that comes with the world of art is not particularly interesting to me,' she said.
Named as the face of British retailer All Saints in 2016, Maya also appeared in a video campaign for Calvin Klein underwear in 2017, directed by Sofia Coppola.
And on March 2, 2018, Netflix announced that the teen had been cast in the role of Robin in the third season of Stranger Things.
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