Glen Powell Says He Won't Talk Politics: 'My Calling Is Elsewhere'
Glen Powell is making it clear he has no intention of entering the political arena. In a new Esquire cover story published this week, the 37-year-old actor said he avoids political discourse because it has become divisive and unproductive. "Over time I've realized that politics divide people," Powell told the magazine. "People trying to prove their point—for me, it's the worst version of a conversation. I genuinely do not like the discourse. It's not as healthy as it once was."
Powell, whose mother worked in the U.S. Treasury Department under the Reagan administration, said current events rarely came up at his family's dinner table—a fact he greeted with a relieved "Thank God." He added that while he respects those who engage in activism, "If I were a political person, I would be talking about it. For me, my calling is elsewhere." The comments, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, place Powell alongside a growing list of stars—including Sydney Sweeney and Jennifer Lawrence—who have recently questioned or rejected the expectation that celebrities weigh in on elections and policy.
'The Running Man' Flop Leaves Powell 'Broken, Physically and Emotionally'
Powell's aversion to politics comes as he reflects on a bruising year professionally. In the same Esquire profile, he opened up about the disappointing performance of The Running Man, the Edgar Wright-directed action film that grossed just $69 million globally against a $110 million budget. Powell attributed part of the blame to Paramount's decision to lay off its entire marketing department a month before release amid a corporate merger.
The actor also revealed the physical toll of the production. While filming a scene in which his character is stabbed in the hand, a prop knife struck him repeatedly, rupturing a tendon without his knowledge. He continued filming before eventually seeking treatment in a Bulgarian emergency room, where doctors discovered a septic infection and told him he might lose his hand. He underwent immediate surgery and returned to set the next day, with bandages written into the script.
A Pivotal Year: 'Tesseract' Exit and Shifting Industry Winds
Powell's candid comments arrive amid a period of transition. According to World of Reel, he recently exited Sam Esmail's sci-fi film Tesseract over script concerns, a project that was expected to shoot in London and Hungary over the summer. The departure marks a rare misstep for an actor who has become one of the most in-demand stars of the decade, with credits including Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You, and Twisters.
He remains busy. Powell recently completed the second season of his Hulu sports comedy Chad Powers and is attached to J.J. Abrams's The Great Beyond, which has been pushed from 2026 to 2027. He is also filming the Judd Apatow country-music comedy The Comeback King in Savannah, a project he co-wrote with Apatow and describes as a loose, improvisational set—a challenge for an actor known for exhaustive preparation.
The Bigger Picture: Celebrities, Politics, and the Cost of Speaking Out
Powell's political reticence reflects a broader shift in celebrity culture. After years in which stars were pressured to take public stances, several high-profile figures have begun pulling back. Jennifer Lawrence recently told The New York Times that "celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for," while Sydney Sweeney said she is "not a political person" and never intended to speak on politics.
For Powell, the calculation appears pragmatic as much as personal. With a packed release slate and a reputation as a tireless worker, he seems intent on controlling his own narrative—focusing on craft over commentary. Whether that strategy insulates him from the industry's volatility remains to be seen, but for now, Powell is betting that his calling lies not in the ballot box, but on the screen.
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