“I’m not a crazy person who…”: Glen Powell Was Painfully Aware of One Ugly Truth of Hollywood Even Before Moving to LA
- Glen Powell recalls moving to L.A. but with a sense of realism.
- The actor credited Sylvester Stallone for allowing him to embrace his Texan roots.
- Powell is excited to dive back into acting with black comedy Huntington, after a year of promotions.
Regarded as one of the most talented actors currently in the industry, Glen Powell rose to wider prominence after he starred in Top Gun: Maverick alongside Tom Cruise. He then starred opposite Sydney Sweeney in one of the most talked about movies of 2023, Anyone but You. Powell later appeared in the dark comedy Hit Man and his recent release, Twisters.
Powell has impressed critics and audiences with his performances and has become one of the most loved actors of the current generation. The CEO of Sony’s Motion Picture Group described the actor as an example of a talent-matching opportunity, adding that he has a truly charismatic screen presence. The actor, in an interview, discussed the shift in the industry, from when he started to today, along with sharing one truth about the industry he knew before he moved to LA.
Glen Powell shares he moved to LA with a sense of blistering realism
Actor Glen Powell, born in Austin, Texas, moved to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for being an actor. In his recent interview with Sharp Magazine, he shared that he can feel a shift in the industry. The actor is working on the black comedy Huntington in South Africa and is very excited to get back to filming after a year of promoting movies. He said,
I got to have a really amazing year where I promoted Anyone but You, Hit Man, and Twisters, three movies I’m incredibly proud of, and I feel really grateful for this moment. But right now, I’m just excited to get back into acting, which is where I feel the most like myself.
The actor recalled that back in 2007, Denzel Washington had introduced him to talent agent Ed Limato, who had urged Powell to move to L.A. Washington, and Limato agreed on the fact that if Powell was serious about his acting, he should be ready to grab onto the opportunity. But Powell was aware of how people who have moved from Texas with dreams and ambitions do not always succeed the way they plan.
Glen Powell shared with the publication that he ended up thinking about how much he loves acting, along with how much he was willing to bet on himself. But the advice and support that came from Washington and Limato convinced Powell to move, but he added that he moved with a sense of blistering realism. Powell added,
I am not a crazy person who went there being like, ‘I’m going to take on this town’. I went in there being like, ‘I’m going to get hit in the face a lot.’
The actor started with small roles in projects including Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, Fast Food, Scream Queens, and more. He also starred in the rom-com Set It Up. But it was Top Gun: Maverick that brought him into the spotlight he needed.
Glen Powell gets candid about having a sense of gratitude
Twisters actor gets real about the fact that after moving to L.A., he could barely pay the bills, but when he was offered a part in an episode of The Lying Game, he had some sense of relief. He shared with the publication,
I was having a really hard time. Getting on a show was not a prestigious job but a validation that you have some semblance of talent and something to offer. It’s just a miracle. Anytime you can pay the bills and survive on acting, it’s a miracle.
Glen Powell noted that he is hyper-aware of that situation, and he never forgets the ones who treated him right at the time. He added that he felt an immense amount of gratitude and clarified that he does not take his work for granted at all. Powell promoted Twisters alongside his family, which made him reflect on his initial days, mentioning that his parents knew how things were for him back in the day and adding that they did not forget how it felt.
Powell recalled he wrote a letter to the director and star of the movie The Expendables 3: Sylvester Stallone. The actor shared that he knew about Stallone’s reputation, adding that he’s a hustler and go-getter, and he just wanted to let him know that a guy from Texas who had just moved to L.A. was willing to do anything to give him one hell of a performance.
He also recalled that Stallone allowed him to get back to what feels like him—go back to his Texan roots, which were initially ridiculed by people. Glen Powell acknowledged that Stallone was right because once he started to embrace the Texan roots, he felt like himself and people responded to that. After which, there has been no looking back for the actor.
Top Gun: Maverick is streaming on Paramount+.
