AceShowbiz - Ethan Hawke thinks his daughter's role in "Stranger Things" was "aligned in the stars." Maya Hawke, whom the 51-year-old actor shares with ex-wife Uma Thurman, plays Robin Buckley on the Netflix sci-fi horror series, and her famous dad has revealed he "feels connected" to the show in another key way.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he said, "A lot of people don't know this, but when the first upside down world took place, it actually took place on November 6th, 1983 in Hawkins, which was my 13th birthday, which was the year I made 'Explorers' and started acting, so I feel somehow like this was meant to be for Maya, like, it was aligned in the stars."

Ethan is delighted to see Maya "turn into a human being" he admires, and he described his daughter as "extremely fun to be around." He explained, "This is the biggest surprise that's happened to me in my life. What it's like to have a grown-up child and watch them turn into a human being that I really admire - Maya is extremely fun to be around, passionate and serious and funny and playful, and I feel connected to 'Stranger Things.' "

The "Black Phone" star also heaped praise on the show as a whole, and he compared her experience to his on the inspirational 1989 big screen drama "Dead Poets Society". He said, "I l, whoved the show. I'm so proud of her, 'cause I think she does a great job, but I'm most happy for her that she's surrounded by these other amazing, talented young people."

"That was my experience on 'Dead Poets Society', getting to be surrounded by other young people who were in love with the same thing that I was in love with, getting to tell a story that affects your generation," he continued. " 'Stranger Things' is a defining creative force for this generation, and so I'm so proud of Maya and I'm so happy for her, and I know it's just the beginning."