Maya Hawke
Emma McIntyre—Getty Images for ABA

I met Maya Hawke on a Zoom call in 2020, and within moments I knew I was talking to someone I wanted to know forever. As an actor, Maya is a dream collaborator because she is not just a gifted performer; she also has the soul of a writer. She is wise in a way that makes you question if she’s secretly been alive for thousands of years. She sees the world through a lens all her own and brings this sense of absolute wonder to everything that she touches. Maya is fearless. She is totally unbothered by what is expected, and is on her own quest to explore every nook and cranny of life. She is a tornado of love, an unignorable force. She inspires me all the time, and watching her inspire others is such an absolute joy. But the most striking thing about Maya is how deeply she connects with people. She is an open wound oozing with empathy, always searching for new ways to reach out and invite others to love their wounds too.

Robinson is a director, writer, and producer

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com.

Jalen Hurts
Ice Spice
Rachel Zegler
Paul Mescal
David Moinina Sengeh
5 stories
EDIT POST