Maya Hawke
An artist who has deftly carved her own creative identity beyond famous parents, becoming a Generation Z icon through vulnerable songwriting and nuanced screen performances.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American actress and singer·Birthday: July 8·Generation Z
Biography
Maya Hawke entered the public eye with a surname that carried immense expectation, but she has meticulously built a career defined by her own peculiar charm and artistic sincerity. Her debut as a spirited Jo March in 'Little Women' was apt—she has a literary-minded, introspective quality. It was her role as the witty, anxious Robin in 'Stranger Things' that made her a household name, capturing the heartache and humor of teenage outsiders. Parallel to her acting, Hawke launched a music career marked by folk-inflected melodies and diaristic lyrics that feel like eavesdropping on her inner monologue. She collaborates closely with musician Jesse Harris, crafting albums that are less pop products than intimate confessionals. In an industry obsessed with lineage, Hawke has succeeded by being resolutely herself: bookish, self-deprecating, and unafraid of emotional exposure.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Maya was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maya Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Maya's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Gained widespread recognition for her role as Robin Buckley in the global Netflix phenomenon 'Stranger Things'.
- Released critically acclaimed folk-rock albums 'Blush' (2020) and 'Moss' (2022), showcasing her songwriting.
- Starred as Jo March in the 2017 BBC television adaptation of 'Little Women', marking her professional acting debut.
Did You Know?
She has dyslexia and was homeschooled for a period during her childhood.
Hawke attended the prestigious Juilliard School for a brief time before leaving to pursue acting roles.
She and her 'Stranger Things' co-star Joseph Quinn performed a cover of 'California Dreamin'' for the show's soundtrack.
“I'm interested in the parts of people that are soft and vulnerable and confused, because that's what I am.”
