John Marvin Perkins, later known as John Hawkes, was born in Alexandria, Minnesota, to Patricia Jeanne (Olson) and Peter John Perkins, a farmer, and is of Scandinavian and British Isles descent. He began his career in Austin, Texas, co-founding the Big State Productions Theatre Company and starring in the group's original play, "In the West", at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., taking on the stage name "John Hawkes" due to another actor sharing his birth name.
Hawkes received critical acclaim for his role in the 2005 film Me and You and Everyone We Know, which earned the special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the Camera d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival. His feature film credits include A Slipping-Down Life (1999),Identity (2003),Miami Vice (2006),Playing God (2004),The Perfect Storm (2000),From Dusk Till Dawn (1996),and Caçadores de Perigo (1997).
Hawkes also co-produced and starred in the independent film Buttleman (2003),earning a Breakout Performance Award at the 2004 Sedona Film Festival and a Special Jury Prize at the 2003 Deep Ellum Film Festival. He played the lead role of Sol Star, a spirited entrepreneur, in the critically-acclaimed HBO series Deadwood (2004).
Today, John Hawkes resides in Los Angeles, where he pursues his passion for music, writing, recording, and performing with his band, King Straggler.
