Glen Powell’s road to becoming a Hollywood star has had many ups and downs. Powell has felt the thrill of accomplishing his breakthrough role in Everybody Wants Some!! and the sting of rejection. He was not cast as the lead in Top Gun: Maverick.
When he learned he didn’t get the part, he was initially disappointed but found humor in the situation with a viral tweet about taking down Tom Cruise posters from his bedroom. In an interview with Variety, Powell opened up about the experience and how it ultimately led to another opportunity in Top Gun: Maverick.
Glen Powell’s Journey to Getting a Role In Top Gun 2
The actor recalls getting a phone call from Joe Kosinski, the director, informing him they had cast Miles Teller in part and “got really sad about it.”
“That moment was when I had a sense of humor about it before I got really sad about it. I literally remember getting the call because my friend was over at my house. It was a few days after the audition and I felt really good about it and Joe Kosinski called and said, “Hey you know we’re going with Miles.” I was like, “Okay, you guys will make a great movie. I appreciate the opportunity.”
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He further expresses how his friend took “a picture” of the actor, thinking he was “going to get the role.” Not getting the role, for Powell, was “so sad on so many levels.”
I was like, ‘Okay, you guys will make a great movie. I appreciate the opportunity.’ My friend had taken a picture of me thinking I was going to get the role. So I was sitting on the balcony by myself in an American flag tank top in aviators…it was so sad on so many levels.”
Glen Powell, despite his disappointment, chose to see the humorous side of things by tweeting a joke about removing his Tom Cruise posters. The tweet went viral, and soon Powell was the focus of media attention.
I’m taking down all the Tom Cruise posters in my bedroom. Maybe, I’ll leave one. Two for symmetry. Okay, the posters are staying. https://t.co/7gCpNLJCcz
— Glen Powell (@glenpowell) July 3, 2018
As a result of his success in landing parts in critically acclaimed films like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Hidden Figures, he has established himself as a desirable leading man in Hollywood.
Glen Powell’s Devotion With Jonathan Majors
The 2022 movie Devotion, which Powell had been working on for a long time, is a labor of love for him. Powell portrays Tom Hudner, a naval fighter pilot who was posthumously decorated for his brave actions during the Korean War in an attempt to save the life of fellow pilot Jesse Brown.
Jesse Brown, a Black man played by Jonathan Majors, was the Navy’s first aviator and the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross; Hudner, a white man from New England. During their time together in the military and in training, they built a strong friendship that was tested when Brown was shot down behind enemy lines.
Glen Powell said in the same interview that he was blown away by the unbelievable nature of Hudner and Brown’s story when he first read about it in Makos’ book. Powell also believed Majors is among their generation’s greatest actors. Powell expressed that he and Majors became fast friends after meeting in a Russian bathhouse, where he pitched him the movie.
Regarding any upcoming movies that may star Powell, Deadline reports that Sydney Sweeney and Powell have joined Sony Pictures’ next R-rated romantic comedy. No other information on the movie has been disclosed yet (besides some pictures of them filming a swimsuit scene).
Source: Variety
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