In Ethan Hawke’s new show “The Lowdown,” he looks increasingly rough the first few episodes, as his face gets cut and bruised.

“You know, I’m one of those actors who insists that I really get hit,” Hawke, 54, joked to The Post.

“No, I’m not the Tom Cruise [type]. I love it because I think it’s funny,” the Oscar-nominated actor added.

He cited other “film noir” characters, such as Jack Nicholson in “Chinatown,” who has a “bandaged nose” the whole movie. “There’s a long history of, ‘if you go seeking the truth, you’re going to get punched in the face.'”

Referring to his character in “The Lowdown,” Lee Raybon, Hawke said, “that’s just Lee’s job. And so, I found it incredibly funny. I love somebody who’s willing to face danger without playing a tough guy. He’s not a tough guy. He’s just

See Full Page