Moon Knight director Mohamed Diab reveals that even Ethan Hawke was nervous on the first day of filming. Diab directed four episodes of the six-episode series, which just premiered on Disney+. Moon Knight is the first Disney+ MCU series to introduce a brand new lead hero. The show stars Oscar Isaac as the titular hero, who is one alter among many belonging to Steven Grant, a mild-mannered British shopkeeper who begins to channel the powers of Egyptian moon god Khonshu.

One of the primary antagonists of the series is Arthur Harrow, played by Ethan Hawke. Harrow is a cult leader who worships the goddess Ammit and encourages the alter Marc Spector, an American mercenary, to embrace the darkness inside him. In the comics, the hyperintelligent character experiences trigeminal neuralgia, which paralyzes the left side of his face, and is best known for conducting cruel scientific experiments on human beings. It is unknown how much these elements will impact the arc for the version of the character portrayed in Moon Knight.

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Screen Rant had the opportunity to sit down with Moon Knight director Diab for an exclusive interview. During the conversation, he shared the fact that "stepping on set for the first time always feels like the first day of school." Apparently, not even huge stars are immune from this feeling, as Hawke himself told Diab he "was so nervous." Thankfully, "you just fully get the hang of it, and you just roll until it's done." Check out his full quote below:

Stepping on set for the first time always feels like the first day of school. You are trying to be confident, but you're not.

By the way, you would be surprised that legends like Ethan Hawke feel the same. The first day he told me, "I was so nervous." 35 years doing that, you're a legend, but that's the way it is. Until a couple of days later, you just fully get the hang of it, and you just roll until it's done. It was such a long, long process.

Ethan Hawke Explains Why He's Excited For People to See Moon Knight

It makes sense why Hawke might have been a little apprehensive about approaching such a big franchise. Although the actor has done a lot in his 35-year career, including being nominated for 4 Oscars, he hasn't ever really been featured in a series this massive. He appeared in the franchise starters The Purge and Sinister at Blumhouse as well as the long-running romantic series that began with Before Sunrise, but the MCU is a series that has covered over a decade and comes with some massive expectations both from the fans and the creators.

Thankfully, those nerves were shaken off and he could bring the full force of his powers to Moon Knight. Fortunately, the character of Arthur Harrow isn't one that comes with a lot of baggage, not having appeared in many comics. However, it was important for him to be able to match Isaac's energy in the series and provide a villain worth his talents in order for this brand new hero to have his arrival go off without a hitch.

Next: Why The Real Moon Knight Is Barely In Episode 1

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