Actor Ethan Hawke praised the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in an interview with late-night host Stephen Colbert in May.

Hawke, who has starred in movies including “Before Sunrise,” “Training Day,” and “Boyhood,” is the director of “Wildcat,” a new film that depicts renowned author Flannery O’Connor. “Wildcat” is also the title of one of O’Connor’s works. Hawke’s daughter and “Stranger Things” actress Maya Hawke stars as O’Connor.

He was a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” last month to discuss the new movie.

O’Connor was described by the New York Times as one of “the nation’s most promising writers” upon her death in 1964 at 39-years-old. She wrote short stories and novels including, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” “Wise Blood” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge.”

She attended the University of Iowa from 1945 to 1947, first pursuing journalism and was later accepted into the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, according to Lit City. O’Connor spent another year in Iowa City after she obtained her master’s degree.

What does Ethan Hawke say about the Iowa Writers’ Program?

Hawke explained a clip from “Wildcat” that Colbert was about to play and described O’Connor as a devout young woman at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

“Which is one of the most stunning,” Hawke began, pausing as some applause could be heard from the audience. “Yes, yes, let’s hear it for Iowa.”

“The writers that came out of this program, Wikipedia it, it will blow you away,” he said. “They change the way we think, this community of people.”

Hawke was introduced to O’Connor’s work through his mother, “trying to provoke” his inner feminist while he read male authors such as Jack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway.

“She’s trying to get you to read something good,” Colbert quipped.

Hawke described to Colbert how his daughter approached him with interest about O’Connor’s work and discussed the author’s thought-provoking writing.

“Wildcat” marks Hawke’s first time directing his daughter. The film received a theatrical release in May.

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.