Drew Barrymore confronted Ethan Hawke on her talk show about the ’90s romance that never happened between them. Both actors were young stars during the decade, and both worked in the same busy, star-studded corner of Hollywood. Fate, however, apparently had a very full calendar of its own at the time. 

While most first meetings begin with a polite handshake, this one opened with a demand for answers about a phone call that never rang.

On The Drew Barrymore Show, Drew Barrymore wanted to know why Ethan Hawke never called her in the ’90s. Hawke admitted he had hoped to run into her at parties but preferred to play it cool. He wanted their meeting to happen organically, leaving Barrymore wondering why he never made a move.

“Why didn’t you call me? We still had phones back then,” Barrymore exclaimed, collapsing onto her couch in disbelief.

Hawke replied, “I wanted it to happen organically. I thought, you know, something magical would happen.”

He bet on coincidence instead of a phone number, and it did not pay off.

The Drew Barrymore Show also marked the first time the two had ever met, which made the situation even stranger. Hawke said he could not remember a time when he was unaware of Barrymore, and she returned the compliment immediately. He admitted that before ’90s parties he often wondered whether she might turn up. Barrymore insisted that every girl on the planet would have happily dated him.

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While romance missed Hawke in the ’90s, fame found him fast, and he has plenty to say about it.

Ethan Hawke sat down with GQ’s Zach Baron for One More Question and was asked about a line in his book The Hottest State that calls fame "Black Death." He did not say whether the thought was his or his character’s. He did explain that celebrity has a disease-like side, a form of isolation that feels like being put in a zoo, where animals and humans both go a little mad.

Fame does bring perks, Hawke noted, including money and plenty of appreciation, though not knowing who is being genuine adds pressure. He hopes to use his fame to make good films. Hawke said his level of recognition suits him, since he works with talented people and can still visit a grocery store, while life gets uncomfortable higher up. Hawke has fame figured out, though Drew Barrymore would still like to know what happened to that call.

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What are your thoughts on Ethan Hawke’s fame theory and his missed ’90s romance? Let us know in the comments.