Glen Powell continues to follow one small tradition that his Red Wing co-star, Bill Paxton used to do during the production of the 2013 Western film. Spanning a versatile career of nearly four decades, Paxton showcased his range from a variety of projects, be it action-packed roles to dramatic and comedic performances.
He surely left an indelible on the entertainment world with his projects, but one small trick remained alive in Powell’s heart, that he revealed is something, that he continues to use even now.
Glen Powell Reflected on Bill Paxton’s Small Trick That He Adapted into His Life
Glen Powell has emerged as a versatile talent in the entertainment world, delivering impeccable performances, be it Hidden Figures or Top Gun: Maverick.
As he is back with another thriller project Twisters, a standalone sequel to the late actor, Bill Paxton‘s Twister (1996), he reflected on a significant trick that he learned from the latter when the duo worked together on a Western project.
In a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote his new film, Powell reflected on his time with the Edge of Tomorrow actor, stating that the duo became close while filming Red Wing.
I shot this movie called Red Wing years and years ago, and Bill and I became really close on that movie.
He added that the actor was quite “passionate about the weather” since working in his 1996 movie that he would give weather reports, mirroring his character from the film.
He further reflected on that one trick that he learned from his senior, which had a profound impact on his life.
As an actor, sometimes you have to shoot outdoors and you’re kind of squinting and whatnot and he taught me this trick that if you close your eyes and you look up at the sun, it warms your eyes up to the sun and you can open your eyes.
He continued,
So while we were shooting Twisters, I was shooting outdoors the whole time so I’d used that trick my entire career since meeting Bill. And on Twisters, I really felt like every time I closed my eyes, I got to think of Bill, which was great.
Powell added that this specific trick continues to influence his time on film sets to this day. Although the duo’s collaboration couldn’t garner much attention as Red Wing received mixed reviews from the critics, it left a beautiful gift for Powell.
Not just off-screen, Powell emphasized that the latter’s guidance even extended to him delivering a nuanced performance on-screen.
Bill Paxton Helped Glen Powell in Hidden Figures Role
The Scream Queens actor attributed a significant part of his Hidden Figures success to the mentorship he received from the late actor. In the acclaimed film, Glen Powell plays the role of John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth.
Loosely based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s 2016 book of the same name, his character notably supports the African-American mathematicians at NASA, particularly Katherine Johnson, played by Taraji P. Henson.
In the same interview, the Twisters actor reflected that his Red Wing co-star was quite “passionate about space” and that he even provided “a lot of research from his Apollo 13 days.”
The actor mentioned that he applied those research to his role, giving it significant depth, as his role was widely acclaimed among critics and audiences alike.
Directed by Theodore Melfi, it revolves around the inspiring story of three African-American women mathematicians—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson who worked at NASA. They were a crucial part of the success of early space missions, including John Glenn’s orbital flight.
Hidden Figures is available on Disney+.
