Ewan McGregor & Ethan Hawke

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.

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Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ

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Special thanks to...

- Host: Vinnie Mancuso

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- Social media: Katie Minard, Karen Jenkins

- Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins

- Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis