Glen Powell’s rise to fame: from Spy Kids 3D to Twisters, he’s not just a “Good-Looking Frat Guy”

He exudes a classic Hollywood star quality, making it surprising that it has taken him this long to reach the A-list.

There's little reason to recall the 2012 romantic comedy Stuck in Love, an indie film that, despite featuring well-known actors like Jennifer Connelly and Greg Kinnear, earned under a million dollars globally.

There's even less reason to recall Glen Powell's role in it, unless you were specifically looking for his square jaw and sandy hair. At just 23 years old, the Texas actor had a minor part in the ensemble, listed in the credits simply as “Good-Looking Frat Guy.”

For a while, it appeared that casting might define Powell’s career. With his blond hair, green eyes, tall and fit physique, and an all-American handsomeness that wasn’t overly striking, he seemed to be at risk of being relegated to background roles forever. He excelled in roles ranging from a cocky college jock in Richard Linklater’s 2016 comedy Everybody Wants Some!! to portraying midcentury astronaut John Glenn in Hidden Figures, embodying a classic image of clean-cut American masculinity. 

While no one in the industry resembles Timothée Chalamet or Jason Momoa exactly, Glen Powell has a generic movie-star look, combining features reminiscent of Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise. That’s not as negative as it might seem: Powell exudes a classic, almost quintessential Hollywood star quality, making it surprising that it has taken him this long to reach the A-list. 

However, he has indeed made that leap. In just a few films, notably his supporting role alongside Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, Powell has transitioned from being a "Frat Guy" to a leading man—comfortable as a heartthrob, a comedic goofball, or an everyman action hero.

This year, Powell has seemed to be everywhere. Anyone But You, a light romantic comedy co-starring Sydney Sweeney, captivated audiences with their vibrant chemistry, staying in theaters for months and surpassing expectations with a $220 million gross, a notable achievement for a genre often relegated to streaming. 

Additionally, Netflix enjoyed a hit with Hit Man, a lively crime comedy Powell co-wrote with Linklater, showcasing his laid-back Southern charm and becoming a springtime favorite for home viewers.  The real challenge will be this weekend with Twisters, a high-budget disaster film and long-awaited sequel to the 1996 hit Twister. This will test whether Powell can lead a major summer blockbuster. 

Regardless of the outcome, Hollywood has several more opportunities lined up for him, including Huntington, a comedic thriller inspired by the Alec Guinness classic Kind Hearts and Coronets, and an Edgar Wright remake of the 80s Schwarzenegger film The Running Man.

The retro quality connecting Powell’s starring roles—whether or not they’re linked to past hits—seems deliberate. He excels in genres like comedy that rely on the charisma of individual stars. In recent years, Hollywood’s focus on superheroes has overshadowed star personalities, as franchise characters draw more interest than the actors themselves. For instance, Marvel’s Chris trio—Hemsworth, Evans, and Pratt—have yet to establish strong leading-man identities outside their comic-book roles. 

Powell’s lack of involvement in superhero films, despite his comparable profile and physique, feels almost intentional. His screen persona stands out as distinctly different from that of the Chrisses.

In recent years, superhero films have lost their cultural dominance as audiences grow tired of franchise overload and endless crossovers. Top Gun: Maverick emerged as the top hit of 2022, capitalizing on 80s nostalgia and a desire for more relatable heroes, even when performing extreme aerial stunts. 

Although Powell’s role as a semi-villain was relatively minor—Miles Teller received second billing as Cruise’s character’s sullen son—Powell’s charismatic, cheeky performance and confident demeanor stood out. It seemed that, more than Teller, Powell emerged from the film as the natural successor to its 60-year-old star.

What sets Powell apart from his peers is likely his relaxed demeanor: a self-assured ease that comes from patiently waiting for stardom. At 35, he’s far from inexperienced; he began acting as a teenager, making his big-screen debut at 14 in Spy Kids 3D: Game Over. Having taken on numerous minor roles, his genuine excitement at landing leading parts is evident, yet he manages to avoid coming across as overly eager to impress.

His public appearances reflect this demeanor: he’s talkative and self-effacing, dresses well but without concern for high fashion (Fitzgerald likens his style to “the best-looking guy from the town you grew up in”), and often brings his scruffy rescue dog Brisket to red carpet events. While this move certainly charms crowds, it also indicates his preference to shine as a star on his own terms.