For Ethan Hawke , there was no training day for navigating a public breakup.

The Dead Poets Society star got candid about the trials and tribulations of going through a divorce in the spotlight, detailing how the end of his marriage to Uma Thuman in 2003 led to him making a pact with their kids Maya Hawke , 27, and Levon Hawke , 23.

“The public eye is like gasoline, but what makes divorce hard is the stuff that makes it hard for everyone—the family elements, how to help the kids through it,” Ethan told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Nov. 20. “I’m so envious of people who have amicable splits.”

And knowing people were hanging onto every word he said, The Black Phone actor—who also shares kids Clementine Jane Hawke , 17, and Indiana Hawk

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