Glen Powell is just getting started. The rising movie star is having a real moment following the success of 2023’s box office hit rom-com, Anyone But You. He is following up the star-making performance with leading roles in Hit Man and Twisters, two highly anticipated 2024 films that have certified Powell’s status as Hollywood’s new leading man. He is just now getting used to all the hype and attention, navigating his celebrity status and notoriety. He recently opened up on how career success has impacted his privacy, and how he hopes to approach fame the same way Matt Damon and Tom Hanks have.
In a recent interview with InStyle Magazine, Powell discussed his newfound status as a movie star, and how he’s adjusting to his newfound recognizability. Despite the Top Gun: Maverick star having a huge Hollywood moment right now, he has no interest in being paparazzied, and hopes to still have a private life in spite of his fame. He hopes to have the same level of celebrity as Matt Damon and Tom Hanks, who both have been able to have private lives despite their movie stardom and being draws at the box office. Powell explained:
I’m still trying to wrap my head around some of it, but I do know that I look at certain people that are able to do it. I look at a guy like Matt Damon and I’m like, That guy is able to walk his kids to school. He’s one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, and yet he’s somehow been able to not become tabloid fodder or be a guy that paparazzi seek out. And Tom Hanks. Nobody really paparazzis Tom Hanks. You know what I mean? I feel like there is a way to do this job where you can be an event in the theater and not sacrifice your personal life. I’ve watched certain people do it, and then you watch other people where you can see it takes a toll. And I think I’m just trying to exist in that Damon-Hanks lane.
So far, Powell has been doing a great job keeping the balance. The Hidden Figures actor recently moved back to his hometown in Austin, Texas to ground himself and be closer to family. Distancing himself physically from the center of Hollywood is a smart way to avoid the spotlight, and allows him to separate his personal life from his work life. Matt Damon did something similar when he moved his family to Brooklyn for a sense of normalcy. Hanks and Damon also are both incredibly family oriented, a trait Powell also possesses. He has brought his parents to the Hit Man premiere recently, and continues to participate in Christmas family traditions.
If Glen Powell is trying to emulate Hanks and Damon, he’s off to a great start, not just in terms of celebrity status, but also career wise. They have all had a wide ranging career in different genres, taking on unique leading man roles in projects helmed by auteur directors. They have their preferred frequent collaborators, as Hanks has made five films with Steven Spielberg, and Damon continues to work with Ben Affleck as a creative partner. Hit Man will be Powell’s fourth film with Richard Linklater, a great collaboration that will hopefully continue even as the Set It Up actor becomes more famous.
Additionally, Powell has dabbled in writing and producing, diversifying himself the creative elements of filmmaking rather than just the face-forward elements. Damon has done the same as a prolific writer himself, and Hanks has directed and produced several movies as well. This shows the stars are prioritizing the project over their own fame, something that also helps ground the stars. Powell picked some strong role-models to emulate, and in an industry where the pressures of fame can often lead to a loss of identity, Glen Powell’s admiration for Matt Damon and Tom Hanks serves as a reminder that it’s possible to achieve great success while staying true to oneself.
You can see Glen Powell in his latest film Hit Man, which is currently playing in select theaters and will be available for Netflix subscribers on June 7th. You can also see him in the disaster blockbuster Twisters, which is set to hit the big screen on July 19th. For more information on other exciting titles heading to cinemas this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.