John Hawkes Wrote and Performed the Theme Song for True Detective: Night Country
John Hawkes earned two Emmy nominations this year, one for his supporting actor role as the corrupt cop Hank Prior in True Detective: Night Country and another for his original song “No Use” which he performed on the HBO series.
When Hawkes was cast, showrunner Issa López suggested that Hank could be a musician. Initially hesitant, Hawkes was intrigued by the idea of portraying a character doing something unexpected. He eventually wrote and performed an instrumental score piece for the show, leading to a friendly debate about adding lyrics to the song.
The song features in episode five as Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) search for the ice cave, with a scene showing Hank playing guitar in his living room during a protest.
Writing the song from Hank’s perspective was a rewarding experience for Hawkes. He found it helped him focus on the character’s emotions and personal grievances, making the song more relatable and universal.
Playing the role of Hank presented challenges for Hawkes, particularly in channeling the character’s struggles and frustrations. Despite not being a Method actor, he immersed himself in the character, even when not filming, which took a toll on him emotionally. However, he believes it was a small sacrifice to be part of such a compelling story and well-written piece.