Ethan Hawke’s relationship with “Stranger Things” goes way back. In an new interview, the actor discussed his daughter, Maya Hawke, why she was meant to star in the successful Netflix series and why the show has a special connection to his childhood.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hawke talked about his daughter and how much he admires her. “This is the biggest surprise that’s happened to me in my life,” Hawke said. “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.’”

Hawke shared that in the world of “Stranger Things,” the main events of the series are kicked off on November 6th of, 1983, a special date for him. “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,” he said.

Hawke couldn’t help but to draw parallells between his career and his daughter’s, sharing his happiness over the fact that she’s involved in a beloved show that stars so many talented people. “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 Poet’s 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 said.

Ethan Hawke was recently featured in “The Black Phone,” where he plays the horror movie’s villain. He’s also signed on to a Pedro Almodóvar short where he’ll star alongside Pedro Pascal in a gay western story.