Glen Powell had a long journey to become a movie star, but at the start of his career, he had some help from legendary actor Denzel Washington. From appearing in Top Gun: Maverick to headlining the latest Twisters film alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, it’s hard not to see Powell on a poster in a movie theater these days. However, if it weren’t for Washington discovering Powell and setting him on the star-making path he is on today, audiences might be lacking one of Hollywood’s best contemporary movie stars.
During an interview with Sharp Magazine, Glen Powell discussed those who helped launch his career and pursue acting full-time in Los Angeles. In 2007, Powell was on the red carpet for the Denzel Washington-directed film The Great Debaters, which featured Powell in a limited role, when he bravely declared “I want to be Denzel Washington” as a New Year’s resolution. Hours before that quote, Washington had introduced Powell to talent agent Ed Limato, who agreed that it was time for Powell to move to Hollywood and make acting his number one priority. Now, Powell shows gratitude to those who helped him on his journey:
“Any time you can pay the bills and survive on acting, it’s a miracle. I am hyper aware of that. You never forget how people treated you. It’s why I feel this insane sense of gratitude right now. I don’t take any of this for granted — at all.”
Glen Powell Has The Right Attitude About Being a Movie Star
It’s safe to say that Glen Powell is well on his way to becoming a major movie star, but his rise to stardom has not changed his attitude towards who his work is really for. Powell tells Sharp Magazine he prioritizes his relationship with the audience, the people who spend time and money seeing his movies on the big screen. His mantra is to have the audience’s trust first and foremost by being a reliable movie star that always gives every role his all.
“The thing that I’m trying to do is build trust with the audience that I’m going to work my butt off to make sure they’re entertained. That way, when they show up and pay their $15 for a ticket, they’ll at least be able to say, ‘I know that this dude is going to try to deliver quality. He’s going to summon every bit of himself to try to deliver quality.’”
One of the more impressive aspects of Powell’s current acting run is the fact he has not been in a superhero movie, neither has he been called by either Marvel or DC to be in one. Powell is forging a career path with a good dose of blockbuster filmmaking and smaller genre films that appeal to modern audiences. He is becoming a movie star the old-fashioned way, clearly inspired by Denzel Washington in how he became a multifaceted filmmaker. Powell is currently set to star in Edgar Wright’s The Running Man remake, as well as produce, write, and star in the comedy series Chad Powers on Hulu, which features Powell as a disgraced college quarterback trying to make a comeback under a fake persona and a heavy dose of makeup.