Ewan McGregor & Ethan Hawke on Why They Don’t Like the Idea of ’Chemistry’

Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke have nearly 200 acting credits combined, with four Oscar nominations and an Emmy win thrown in there, and yet neither actor had worked together until this year’s “Raymond & Ray.” For Rodrigo García’s small-scale black comedy, the two veteran actors found an instant on-set spark, the key to a great performance. “If you feel like somebody’s not on your side on set, it’s really difficult. You don’t feel safe,” says McGregor. “So it’s really important, as actors, to allow each other to feel safe and to know that you’re there for them, they’re there for you. Then you can achieve anything really.” In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, McGregor and Hawke discuss the wonders of a collaborative creative process and why you should never ask actors about finding chemistry with a scene partner. -- Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intim