When choosing actors, Bill Morrie and Dustin Hoffman were both candidates for Keating teachers, but after Jeff Kennew planned to direct the film, Robin Williams was cast in the role. Afterwards, Dustin Hoffman praised Robin for his audition, thinking that he would definitely perform better than himself.
Robin Williams plays Keating, an English teacher in the 1950s. He loves literature and poetry, inspiring young people to express their individuality. He tried his best to put away his usual funny tricks, but his improvisational humor has been deeply integrated into Keating's teaching style, and his excellent performance has added a lot to the film.
Ethan Hawke plays Todd, a good student who is shy and lacks self-confidence, and shines in the film. During the interview, he praised the director Peter Will and believed that the director had a major impact on his career development. His first impression of the director was "he speaks very interesting", especially since Ethan hadn't met Australians much at the time, but he quickly understood the effect the director wanted, and he also handed in his perfect answer.
