John Hawkes is an American actor. His film credits include American Gangster, Contagion, Everest, and Deadwood: The Movie. He also appeared in the series Eastbound & Down. Hawkes formed Big State Productions, a theatre group that performed a show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Jefferson High School in Alexandria and later attended St. Cloud State University before moving to Los Angeles in 1990 to pursue his acting career.