John Hawkes was born John Marvin Perkins in Alexandria, Minnesota, to Patricia Jeanne (Olson) and Peter John Perkins, a farmer. He is of Scandinavian and British Isles descent. John moved to Austin, Texas to begin his career as an actor and musician. He co-founded the Big State Productions Theatre Company and appeared in the group's original play, "In the West", at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He took on the stage name "John Hawkes" because another actor shared his birth name, John Perkins.

John starred in the critically-acclaimed, Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), which received wide praise and was awarded the special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as the Camera d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Additional feature credits include the Lion's Gate film, A Slipping-Down Life (1999) with Guy Pearce, the psychological thriller Identity (2003) alongside John Cusack and Ray Liotta, Miami Vice (2006) with Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, Playing God (2004), The Perfect Storm (2000), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and Caçadores de Perigo (1997). Hawkes also starred in and co-produced the independent film, Buttleman (2003), for which he received a Breakout Performance Award at the 2004 Sedona Film Festival and a Special Jury Prize at the 2003 Deep Ellum Film Festival.

Hawkes' television credits include a lead role in the critically-acclaimed HBO series, Deadwood (2004), in which he played "Sol Star", a spirited entrepreneur in a lawless town.

John lives in Los Angeles, where he writes, records and performs music with his band, "King Straggler".

Pseudonimo di John Marvin Perkins, nome d'arte di John Perkins, è un attore, cantante e chitarrista statunitense.

John Hawkes, nascido John Marvin Perkins, (Alexandria, Minnesota 11 de setembro de 1959) é um ator americano de cinema e televisão. É conhecido por sua interpretação de um comerciante no seriado Deadwood da HBO. Foi indicado ao Óscar de melhor ator coadjuvante pela sua atuação no filme Inverno na Alma, de 2010. Em 2012, o filme The Sessions foi considerado um dos sucessos do Sundance daquele ano. Hawkes recebeu duas ovações prolongadas na exibição do filme. Foi elogiado pela crítica no festival como "acessível, agradável e alegre".

John Hawkes wurde in Alexandria, Minnesota, als Sohn von Patricia Jeanne (Olson) und Peter John Perkins, einem Landwirt, geboren. Er ist skandinavischer und britischer Herkunft. John zog nach Austin, Texas, um seine Karriere als Schauspieler und Musiker zu beginnen. Er war Mitbegründer der Big State Productions Theatre Company und trat im Originalstück "In the West" der Gruppe im Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. auf. Er nahm den Künstlernamen "John Hawkes" an, weil ein anderer Schauspieler seinen Geburtsnamen John Perkins teilte.

John spielte in dem von der Kritik gefeierten Film Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), der viel Lob erhielt und mit dem Sonderpreis der Jury beim Sundance Film Festival sowie dem Camera d'Or Award beim Filmfestival von Cannes ausgezeichnet wurde.

Weitere Spielfilme sind der Lion's Gate Film, A Slipping-Down Life (1999) mit Guy Pearce, der Psychothriller Identity (2003) mit John Cusack und Ray Liotta, Miami Vice (2006) mit Jamie Foxx und Colin Farrell, Playing God (2004), The Perfect Storm (2000), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) und Caçadores de Perigo (1997). Hawkes spielte auch in dem Independent-Film Buttleman (2003) mit und produzierte ihn mit, wofür er 2004 beim Sedona Film Festival einen Breakout Performance Award und 2003 beim Deep Ellum Film Festival einen Sonderpreis der Jury erhielt.

Hawkes' Fernsehcredits umfassen eine Hauptrolle in der von Kritikern gefeierten HBO-Serie Deadwood (2004), in der er "Sol Star" spielte, einen temperamentvollen Unternehmer in einer gesetzlosen Stadt.

John lebt in Los Angeles, wo er mit seiner Band "King Straggler" schreibt, aufnimmt und Musik spielt.