Glen Powell is arguably one of the most bankable young actors in Hollywood right now, who isn’t looking to slow down anytime soon. Since rising to stardom after playing Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick, Powell has continued to spread his acting chops across various genres, which includes the rom-com Anyone but You, which became a smash hit.
Recently, the actor also joined forces with a former commanding officer of The Blue Angels to make a documentary following his love for aviation. But despite his career’s immense growth in the last few years, Powell is no stranger to setbacks, as after starring in one of the biggest movies of 2022, the actor missed out on one of the biggest hits of 2023.
Glen Powell Fell Inches Short of Oppenheimer Due to Josh Hartnett
While 2023 was a great year for original releases, it was Barbie and Oppenheimer that dictated the summer, with the latter falling just a few short of hitting the billion-dollar mark. But apart from Christopher Nolan’s excellent direction and impeccable screenplay, the film was also notable for having an extremely star-studded cast.
And it appears, Glen Powell wasn’t too far from joining the Oppenheimer cast, as the actor recalled (via GQ) losing the character of Ernest Lawrence to Trap star Josh Hartnett by slim margins. But despite missing out on working alongside Christopher Nolan, Powell is optimistic about working with the Oscar winner sometime in the future, as he still maintains contact with the director.
Glen Powell Almost Skipped Top Gun 2 After Losing to Miles Teller
This isn’t the first time the acclaimed actor missed out on a major project, as he recounted being agonizingly close to playing Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, which he lost to Alden Ehrenreich. Moreover, Powell almost lost out on the film that garnered him wider recognition, Top Gun: Maverick. Before playing Lt. Jake Hangman Seresin, which he found uninteresting at first, the actor auditioned for the role of Rooster, which eventually went to Miles Teller.
But despite founding Hangman bland, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joseph Kosinski, and Christopher McQuarrie succeeded in convincing Powell that he could add another dimension to it.
He recalled:
He was there to add conflict to Rooster’s character, which is a good thing, but he wasn’t three-dimensional and he had no pay off. I didn’t know why he existed… It was a leap of faith
In hindsight, Powell can’t imagine missing out on the Tom Cruise-led film, which not only pushed him to the top, but further ameliorated his love for aviation.
Oppenheimer is available to stream on Peacock.
Top Gun: Maverick is available to stream on Paramount Plus.
