Glen Powell Recalls His 'Darkest Moments' in Hollywood Before Becoming a Household Name: 'You Have to Lie to Yourself'

Mar. 15, 2025

Glen Powell.Photo:Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

The road to stardom wasn’t always easy forGlen Powell.While speaking toVanity Fairfor the 2025 Hollywood Issue, theTwistersstar, 36, opened up about the early days of his career.“As a struggling actor, there’s no harder place to live than being in Hollywood with nothing going on,” he said. “The currency of that town is how relevant you are and what your last job is. It makes you oppressively self-aware.”TheAnything But Youactor then revealed that sometimes the only way to get through those uncertain times was to “lie to yourself.”“Even at the darkest moments in that town, when I really didn’t have anything happening, you sort of have to lie to yourself, at least a little bit, and act like this is that chapter of the story where things just aren’t going right,” he explained. “You have to believe in the Hollywood legends of those people that you admire, the people that you’re chasing, that had those long stretches of famine as well.”Powell also noted that many people outside the industry don’t realize just how tough it can be to even get an audition, let alone land a part.“People are like, ‘Oh man, auditioning must be tough.’ And I’m like, ‘No, auditioning is aluxury.’ ““Finding an agent, finding anybody to talk to you at a damn party, having enough money to pay for headshots, these are the things that no one talks about,” he continued.Glen Powell attends the ‘Twisters’ Oklahoma City special screening on July 15, 2024.Brett Deering/GettyHe added, “Auditioning feels like you’re at the party. You’ve gotten past the velvet rope. You may not be able to afford a drink at the party, but you’re in it, you can taste it. But so often in Hollywood, most of the time you are outside that velvet rope. Most of the time the bouncer is not even allowing you anywhere in the vicinity.”Now that theHit Manstar is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand leading men, he admits that he has a whole new set of variables to consider — specifically how to feel creatively fulfilled while also keeping the audience entertained.“I try to think, ‘Audience first,’ rather than, ‘Me first.’ “he said, adding, “What does the audience want to see? How can I fit into a role that really challenges what I do, where I’m not settling into any sort of groove that feels too familiar or too monotonous? Do you know what I mean?”“There’s always been this phrase, ‘One for me, one for them,’ " he continued. “And I just completely disagree with that idea. I think it can be all for them, and it can be all for you, and you just have to be really deliberate about what you’re a part of.”Glen Powell at A Toast To Texas Film on May 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas.Chris Saucedo/GettyDuring the interview, Powell also explained that his “audience first” mentality extends to press tours, acknowledging that he and hisAnything But Youcostar,Sydney Sweeny,27, were aware that bringing a flirty chemistry to red carpets and interviews would only help the success of their movie overall, despite both being involved with other people.“I think what people forget about with a press tour is that it’s its own sense of entertainment. I don’t think it’s duplicitous,” he said.Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney at the ‘Anyone But You’ New York premiere.John Lamparski/WireImage“ForTwisters, I had the best time because I’m getting to literally live in a world of trucks, and tornadoes, and the South, and country music, and all these different things where I was like, ‘This is authentically all me,’ " he continued. “Shotgunning a beeronstage with Luke Combs is press, but that’s also something that I had the greatest time doing.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In May, theTop Gun: Maverickactor revealed that he had made the decision to leave his home of 15 years in L.A. and return to his roots in Austin, Texas after a conversation with actorMatthew McConaughey.While speaking withThe Hollywood Reporter, Powell recalled McConaughey telling him, ‘Hollywood is the Matrix, man. You plug in and it’s all fake world,’ He’s like, ‘Then I go to Austin, and I unplug. It’s all real. Those are my friends, that’s my family, my actions matter there.’ ““And he’s right,” Powell said, “If you’re here [in Hollywood], you live in the Matrix all the time, there’s no separation of those worlds. And for me, especially as my parents get older and my niece and nephew are growing up, I want a separation of those worlds.”

The road to stardom wasn’t always easy forGlen Powell.

While speaking toVanity Fairfor the 2025 Hollywood Issue, theTwistersstar, 36, opened up about the early days of his career.

“As a struggling actor, there’s no harder place to live than being in Hollywood with nothing going on,” he said. “The currency of that town is how relevant you are and what your last job is. It makes you oppressively self-aware.”

TheAnything But Youactor then revealed that sometimes the only way to get through those uncertain times was to “lie to yourself.”

“Even at the darkest moments in that town, when I really didn’t have anything happening, you sort of have to lie to yourself, at least a little bit, and act like this is that chapter of the story where things just aren’t going right,” he explained. “You have to believe in the Hollywood legends of those people that you admire, the people that you’re chasing, that had those long stretches of famine as well.”

Powell also noted that many people outside the industry don’t realize just how tough it can be to even get an audition, let alone land a part.

“People are like, ‘Oh man, auditioning must be tough.’ And I’m like, ‘No, auditioning is aluxury.’ "

“Finding an agent, finding anybody to talk to you at a damn party, having enough money to pay for headshots, these are the things that no one talks about,” he continued.

Glen Powell attends the ‘Twisters’ Oklahoma City special screening on July 15, 2024.Brett Deering/Getty

Brett Deering/Getty

He added, “Auditioning feels like you’re at the party. You’ve gotten past the velvet rope. You may not be able to afford a drink at the party, but you’re in it, you can taste it. But so often in Hollywood, most of the time you are outside that velvet rope. Most of the time the bouncer is not even allowing you anywhere in the vicinity.”

Now that theHit Manstar is one of Hollywood’s most in-demand leading men, he admits that he has a whole new set of variables to consider — specifically how to feel creatively fulfilled while also keeping the audience entertained.

“I try to think, ‘Audience first,’ rather than, ‘Me first.’ “he said, adding, “What does the audience want to see? How can I fit into a role that really challenges what I do, where I’m not settling into any sort of groove that feels too familiar or too monotonous? Do you know what I mean?”

“There’s always been this phrase, ‘One for me, one for them,’ " he continued. “And I just completely disagree with that idea. I think it can be all for them, and it can be all for you, and you just have to be really deliberate about what you’re a part of.”

Glen Powell at A Toast To Texas Film on May 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas.Chris Saucedo/Getty

Chris Saucedo/Getty

During the interview, Powell also explained that his “audience first” mentality extends to press tours, acknowledging that he and hisAnything But Youcostar,Sydney Sweeny,27, were aware that bringing a flirty chemistry to red carpets and interviews would only help the success of their movie overall, despite both being involved with other people.

“I think what people forget about with a press tour is that it’s its own sense of entertainment. I don’t think it’s duplicitous,” he said.

Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney at the ‘Anyone But You’ New York premiere.John Lamparski/WireImage

John Lamparski/WireImage

“ForTwisters, I had the best time because I’m getting to literally live in a world of trucks, and tornadoes, and the South, and country music, and all these different things where I was like, ‘This is authentically all me,’ " he continued. “Shotgunning a beeronstage with Luke Combs is press, but that’s also something that I had the greatest time doing.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In May, theTop Gun: Maverickactor revealed that he had made the decision to leave his home of 15 years in L.A. and return to his roots in Austin, Texas after a conversation with actorMatthew McConaughey.

While speaking withThe Hollywood Reporter, Powell recalled McConaughey telling him, ‘Hollywood is the Matrix, man. You plug in and it’s all fake world,’ He’s like, ‘Then I go to Austin, and I unplug. It’s all real. Those are my friends, that’s my family, my actions matter there.’ “

“And he’s right,” Powell said, “If you’re here [in Hollywood], you live in the Matrix all the time, there’s no separation of those worlds. And for me, especially as my parents get older and my niece and nephew are growing up, I want a separation of those worlds.”

source: people.com