Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist: Glen Powell on Hollywood Partnerships and Career Momentum Episode Date: May 2024
Guest: Glen Powell
Host: Willie Geist

Episode Overview

In this engaging conversation, Willie Geist sits down with actor, writer, and producer Glen Powell to discuss his breakout years in Hollywood, creative partnerships, and his latest projects. They explore Powell’s career trajectory from his Texas roots to co-writing, co-producing, and starring in Richard Linklater’s new film Hitman. Powell talks candidly about perseverance, family, collaborating with iconic filmmakers, his pivotal roles in films like Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You, and why maintaining authenticity and close relationships is key to staying grounded through sudden success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Glen Powell’s Creative Partnership with Richard Linklater

• Powell’s admiration for Linklater: Glen describes the surreal joy of evolving from a fan (“I studied [Linklater] in a creative writing class…at 14 years old on Fast Food Nation.” 05:11) to a creative peer.
• Linklater’s unique process: Richard Linklater values authenticity and collaboration; he “doesn’t skip to what the movie logic is…He goes, how is it actual? How is it real? How is it effective?” (08:03)
• Co-writing and producing ‘Hitman’: Powell explains the thrill and vulnerability of co-writing and starring in a personal project: “A right role scares you in all the right ways.” (22:43)

2. The Making and Themes of Hitman

• Origins of the film: Inspired by a Texas Monthly article about undercover cop Gary Johnson, who would “psychoanalyze you and figure out what your fantasy of a hitman was, and then he would become that. So they called him the Laurence Olivier of fake hitmen.” (10:47)
• Acting challenge: Powell relished the opportunity to embody a character who himself adopts multiple personas: “In this movie, I’m playing a guy who’s playing all these other characters…But the best part as an actor…is the real Gary Johnson would put on all these disguises and fake teeth and wigs…” (13:34)
• Universal themes: The story examines identity, transformation, and embracing one’s better self, inspired by the pandemic’s forced introspection: “It’s never too late to become the version you want to be.” (16:02)
• On playing a real person: Powell chose not to contact Gary Johnson before filming, preferring to “listen to the recordings…what he was experiencing in that moment, rather than reverse engineer it from an older gentleman…” (17:11)

3. Family, Roots, and Creative Drive

• Staying grounded: Powell discusses moving back to Texas and keeping family close: “Where I was like…OK, I need to get out of LA, go back to Texas, hang out and just be around…people that make you feel like you.” (36:21)
• Support system: He credits his family for being his foundation amid Hollywood highs and lows: “I truly feel like the best version of myself with them.” (51:07)
• Generational wisdom: Powell keeps a “wisdom journal” from mentors (40:42) and stresses the importance of intention in protecting family and self.

4. Career Challenges and Breakthroughs

• Breakout roles and momentum: Powell reflects on Top Gun: Maverick (“that movie changed my life...Not only just in terms of being a part of a movie of that size…but it was also exactly what you’re talking about—part of a moment in the film business that represented...” 31:08), and Anyone But You (“we gambled on it, and I’m really glad we did…but that’s what it takes: a great creative partner.” 25:14)
• Hollywood’s unpredictability and perseverance: He details the emotional toughness needed in Hollywood: “You sort of have to deceive yourself a little bit…tell yourself a story that it is all going to work out, because that’s the only way through…” (47:19)
• Career longevity: Powell is grateful for a “slow burn,” feeling more prepared for fame and its challenges now versus at 19. (38:45)

5. Notable Collaborators and Partnerships

• Strong creative allies: Powell on working with Sydney Sweeney (“when you find somebody that you have a great creative partnership with…you want to just keep doing that…” 28:56)
• Learning from icons: He describes Tom Cruise’s deep involvement and advice: “When it pops off, life’s just going to get a little loud. And it’s your job to be in control of that dial…” (35:21)

6. New Projects and Looking Ahead

• Blue Angels Documentary: Powell brings Top Gun’s IMAX technology to a docuseries about the Blue Angels, aiming to make audiences feel the thrill of real flight: “If I could just bring people into this cockpit…make people feel what this is like.” (54:22)
• Twisters: Discusses his excitement for the upcoming blockbuster, likening it to the ride of Top Gun. (55:47)
• Chad Powers series: Describes the TV adaptation of Eli Manning’s undercover persona, blending sports antics with a heartfelt personal journey – “I think it’s going to be one of the best shows on TV.” (58:17)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On artistic authenticity:
  “He [Linklater] doesn’t go from a movie logic place…he goes from a place of…how is it a universal experience? And what you end up happening…is movies like Before, where nothing really happens, affect everyone around the planet.”
  — Glen Powell (08:03)

• On transformation and identity:
  “It’s never too late to become the version that you want to be.”
  — Glen Powell (16:02)

• On early struggles and optimism:
  “You have to just continue to tell yourself that you’re sort of the underdog in the story and that eventually it’s going to lead to a big game.”
  — Glen Powell (49:37)

• On creative partnership and risk-taking:
  “Sydney and I took a gamble that people would pay their $15, leave the house, get the sitter…for a movie that’s just about love…and it went viral, you know, and it went everywhere.”
  — Glen Powell (26:37)

• On family and staying real:
  “Some actors…start seeing that they buy into their own bull…Without those people that keep you honest and keep you feeling like yourself, this thing can veer off.”
  — Glen Powell (51:07)

• On Tom Cruise’s advice:
  “It’s your job to be in control of that dial. How loud or how quiet it all becomes…none of it is sort of real at the end of the day.”
  — Glen Powell (35:21)

• On Denzel Washington’s encouragement:
  “I never looked at this thing as a job. And I think a lot of kids don’t chase their passions because you hedge those bets… if you wake up passionate about something, you’re already on top.”
  — Glen Powell (42:34, paraphrasing through 44:39)

Highlighted Segments & Timestamps

• [04:40] Powell on his close collaboration with Richard Linklater and what it means to work as equals.
• [06:48] Discussion of Linklater’s unique creative approach.
• [10:47] Origin story for Hitman and Powell’s fascination with Gary Johnson.
• [13:34] The acting challenge and joy of playing multiple personas.
• [16:02] Universal themes of transformation, rooted in pandemic reflections.
• [17:11] Choosing not to contact the real Gary Johnson and approaching the role through archival recordings.
• [22:43] On the anxiety and thrill of writing a role for himself.
• [25:14] The risk and reward in marketing Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeney.
• [28:56] Powell on repeat partnerships and industry relationships.
• [31:08] Reflections on Top Gun and Tom Cruise’s influence on his career.
• [35:21] Tom Cruise’s advice for handling fame and public attention.
• [40:42] Powell’s “wisdom journal” and learning from others’ journeys.
• [47:19] How storytelling helped him persevere through tough times.
• [51:07] The sustaining power of family.
• [54:22] Bringing audiences into the cockpit for the Blue Angels IMAX doc.
• [55:47] On the excitement and ambitions of Twisters.
• [58:17] Turning Eli Manning’s Chad Powers into a heartfelt TV series.

Tone and Atmosphere

Willie Geist’s interview is warm, personal, and conversational, allowing Powell’s self-deprecating humor and genuine gratitude to shine. The tone throughout is both inspiring and down-to-earth, emphasizing the value of hard work, relationships, and humility amid the glitz of Hollywood.

Summary Takeaway

Glen Powell’s journey is a testament to perseverance, smart partnerships, family grounding, and a willingness to take risks—qualities that have propelled him to the forefront of Hollywood just as he begins ascending into a new phase of creative control and on-screen presence. As he notes, “it’s never too late to become the version you want to be”—an ethos at the heart of his movies, his process, and this revealing conversation.