Glen Powell has collaborated with his idol, director Richard Linklater, on not just one but four films! A lifelong fan of Linklater’s movies, Powell’s dream came true when he co-wrote and starred alongside the Oscar-nominated director in the latest action-comedy Hit Man.
In this $8.8 million movie, Powell wasn’t just the star. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Linklater himself. The film centers around hitman Gary Johnson (Powell), who breaks the rules to help a woman escaping her abusive husband and ends up falling for her.
Glen Powell’s Childhood Obsession with Richard Linklater
It all started in high school for Glen Powell. Back in his creative writing class in Austin, Texas, everyone was busy writing poems, but young Powell was the odd one out. “I was writing screenplays in the creative writing class,” he remembers.
His teacher, Dr. Schack, turned out to be a big Richard Linklater fan, and that’s what really got him hooked on the director’s work. The actor went on to watch every single Linklater movie he could find. “And I watched all of his stuff, he said in an interview with MTV‘s Josh Horowitz. Since then, his love for the director’s unique way of telling stories just kept growing.
Things got even more interesting for Powell when a film editor who worked with Linklater visited his class one day. This editor gave the inside scoop on how movies are made, which totally stoked Powell’s dream of working with Linklater himself.
Glen Powell’s Dream Came True by Starring in Hit Man
That dream started taking shape when Glen Powell, at the young age of 14, scored a bit part in Linklater’s movie Fast Food Nation. Even though it was a small role, it was a huge deal for Powell. The 35-year-old said in an interview with MTV:
I got to audition for ‘Fast Food Nation’ when I was like 14 years old. And I have small tiny role with Paul Dano in that movie, just like couple lines, probably not delivered well, but I’m in the movie. And I got to strike up this friendship with Rick.
Meeting on the set of Fast Food Nation was just the beginning for the two. Fast forward ten years, Powell and Linklater were back together, teaming up on the hit comedy Everybody Wants Some!
This movie was a big success with the critics. Their success kept going with the animated film Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood. Then, Powell’s dream finally came true with Hit Man. This movie is a team effort for both the actor and director. Not only does Powell star in the film, but he also helped write the script alongside Linklater.
Watch Hit Man on Netflix!
Frequently asked questions
How did Glen Powell first meet Richard Linklater?
Powell became a fan of Richard Linklater’s films in high school in Austin, Texas, after his teacher, Dr. Schack, introduced him to the director’s work. Powell reportedly watched every Linklater movie he could find. A visiting film editor who had worked with Linklater further inspired Powell’s ambition to collaborate with the director, a goal he pursued for years before it came true.
What was Glen Powell’s first project with Richard Linklater?
According to the article, Powell landed a small role in Linklater’s Fast Food Nation at age 14, appearing alongside Paul Dano in just a couple of lines. Powell has since said he isn’t sure the lines were “delivered well,” but the brief part marked the start of a long creative relationship that eventually led to him co-writing and starring in Linklater’s Hit Man roughly a decade later.
What is Hit Man about and how much did it cost to make?
Hit Man is an $8.8 million action-comedy that Glen Powell both starred in and co-wrote alongside director Richard Linklater. The film follows Gary Johnson, a hitman-for-hire who helps a woman escape a dangerous relationship and develops romantic feelings for her along the way. It is the culmination of Powell and Linklater’s collaborations, following earlier films like Everybody Wants Some! and Apollo 10½, and is available to stream on Netflix.
