Ethan Hawke praises daughter Maya’s ‘blistering intelligence’ in new movie ‘Wildcat’

Ethan Hawke gave a round of applause to his daughter Maya Hawke during the Toronto International Film Festival.

During the introduction of his new movie Wildcat, which he directed and features Maya, 25, Ethan, 52, commended Maya's remarkable performance as novelist Flannery O'Connor, highlighting her "blistering intelligence and commitment" to the role.

“Most of all, I want to thank you for the job,” Ethan said, generating laughter from the film festival audience. (She is an executive producer on the project.) “She hired me and I did my best to come through for you."

"If you see anything else tonight, you’re going to see a young artist just circle around their father, sprint out the door and pat him on the a** as she goes by," added Ethan. "This is one of my favorite performances I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait for you guys to see it.”

Wildcat stars the Stranger Things actress as O'Connor in a film that "[imagines] the young writer as she perfects her process, committing to her unique and deeply personal fiction at the cost of her own comfort and contentment," according to an official festival description.

During their conversation with People, Maya took the chance to express gratitude for the film and it’s release at the prestigious event.

"The making of the film was unspeakably special and one of the greatest experiences of my life."

"To get to be at this festival and to have a waiver and approval from our union during a strike to be here and celebrate film and independent film and to get to see this movie with an audience, which is so rare now, is just the ultimate privilege and I feel so, so lucky to be here today, for a variety of reasons," she said. Ethan added, “Ditto."