Movies Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles have a Dead Poets Society reunion on SAG-AFTRA picket line The two actors have been friends since they met making the 1989 movie. By Maureen Lee Lenker Maureen Lee Lenker Maureen Lee Lenker is a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly with over seven years of experience in the entertainment industry. An award-winning journalist, she's written for Turner Classic Movies, Ms. Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and more. She's worked at EW for six years covering film, TV, theater, music, and books. The author of EW's quarterly romance review column, "Hot Stuff," Maureen holds Master's degrees from both the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford. Her debut novel, It Happened One Fight, is now available. Follow her for all things related to classic Hollywood, musicals, the romance genre, and Bruce Springsteen. EW's editorial guidelines Published on October 18, 2023 09:06PM EDT Oh captain, my strike captain! Instead of climbing atop desks, Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles are uniting to show solidarity on the streets of New York. The two actors, who first met and had breakout roles via the 1989 coming-of-age drama Dead Poets Society, hit the SAG-AFTRA picket lines Tuesday, striking along with their fellow performers. "The longer this goes on, the reason for solidarity and our cause is even more important," Hawke wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday, showcasing him picketing alongside Charles and Rosario Dawson. "Picketed yesterday alongside my fellow actors, and for the betterment of our industry as a whole. There are so many individuals who contribute to making film and TV — and I look forward to making art together again." He added the hashtag "#SAGAftraStrong." Josh Charles and Ethan Hawke on a SAG-AFTRA picket line in New York. Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Hawke and Charles played two students at an elite New England boarding school in Dead Poets Society, which also starred Robin Williams as the spirited English teacher who inspires them and their peers to live life to the fullest. The film was nominated for multiple Oscars, and won Best Original Screenplay for Tom Schulman. Since then, Charles and Hawke haven't been shy about their camaraderie. Back in 2018, when Hawke was appearing in True West on Broadway and promoting his movie Blaze, Charles wrote on social media, "Ethan Hawke is one of my oldest pals. More than that, he's a true artist and deserves all the accolades and recognition he receives. He's also an awesome Dad. The end." Josh Charles and Ethan Hawke in 'Dead Poets Society'. Everett Collection Hawke and Dawson also go back a ways, having collaborated on the 2001 film Chelsea Walls. Dawson starred in the drama, while Hawke made his directing debut. The actors' union has been on strike since July 14, after negotiations with Hollywood studios collapsed, and the work stoppage is nearing the 100-day mark. Alongside the Writers Guild of America, which recently agreed to a new deal with the studios, SAG-AFTRA has spent much of 2023 fighting for better working conditions for its nearly 160,000 members. Once the actors' strike is resolved, maybe Charles, Hawke, and Dawson can all team up for a project off the picket lines too. Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Related content: Kerry Washington reunites with Scandal costars Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young to support SAG-AFTRA strike Harold and Kumar reunite as John Cho and Kal Penn speak at SAG-AFTRA strike rally Hollywood actors to resume negotiations with studios as writers' strike ends