Wat-Not Staff
Glen Powell is truly a star in the making. Or is he? The summer of 2024 has seen Powell’s name plastered across marquees and magazine covers, heralding his arrival as Hollywood’s latest golden boy. With lead roles in the disaster spectacle “Twisters” and the slick comedy “Hit Man” (which he also co-wrote and produced), Powell seems poised for A-list stardom.
Yet this meteoric rise feels almost too perfect, too sudden. Powell’s journey through the industry has been anything but overnight. He’s been grinding away since his teens, starting with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role in a kid’s spy franchise and slowly climbing the ladder of bit parts and supporting roles.
Now, seemingly out of nowhere, he’s everywhere. Glossy spreads in major publications sing his praises. Industry insiders whisper that he’s the next big thing. But is this carefully orchestrated ascension truly organic, or is it the product of a well-oiled Hollywood hype machine?
There’s no denying Powell’s charm or talent. But in an era where star power often feels manufactured, one has to wonder: Is Glen Powell the real deal, or just the flavor of the moment? Only time will tell if this summer’s golden boy has the staying power to become a true Hollywood legend.
Tom Cruise is Glen Powell’s idol
Glen Powell’s rise stands out for its old-school approach. Unlike peers who juggle superhero films with arthouse projects, Powell focuses on genres many consider outdated: rom-coms and original dramas for adults.
This strategy echoes the ’90s star-making formula, built on charisma rather than franchise recognition. Powell admires Tom Cruise, even telling him he wants to follow in his footsteps. But he seems aware that today’s Hollywood rarely creates Cruise-level stars.
Despite this, Powell persists in blending classic star power with modern appeal, carving his own path in a changed industry landscape. “I’m working to try to be you,” Powell told Tom Cruise when he was cast in a supporting role in Top Gun: Maverick, according to an interview in the Hollywood Reporter earlier this year.
“First of all, there will never be another Tom Cruise,” he continued in the profile. “That is a singular career in a singular moment, but also movie stars of the ’80s, ’90s, early 2000s, those will never be re-created.”
Powell knows the odds of him being an old school movie star
Glen Powell’s path to fame started in Austin with small roles as a teen. A part in “The Great Debaters” led to a connection with a top agent, inspiring his move to Hollywood. However, success was elusive. Powell faced personal setbacks and an industry shift away from traditional star-making. Despite these challenges, he persisted, eventually finding his place in a changed Hollywood landscape that rarely creates classic movie stars anymore.
“I’ve probably been told, ‘You’ll never make it in this town’ more than any individual alive,” Powell mused to Vanity Fair earlier this year. “The odds are so slim that people hand that quote out like candy.
Online communities on Reddit and other social media make sure to disregard Glen Powell calling him an “industry transplant”. The audience claims to find all his movies “just meh”. Several people are also of the belief that Glen Powell is being force fed to the public despite not being that good.
However, Powell seems to take it all in stride, staying on the same path he started with, staunch with the hope and belief that he will make it.
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