A certain actor has been taking over Hollywood as of late, and his name is Glen Powell.
The actor, hailing from Austin, Texas, has a long list of credits to his name, with various appearances on television series over the years. But, he reached movie star status after starring in two of the biggest films of the last two years.
Both Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone but You were bonafide commercial hits, but they are far from the only series and movies of Mr. Powell’s you’ll want to add to your must-watch list.
Powell’s acting career started with a small role in Spy Kids 3-D Game, and a few years later, he went on to star in The Great Debaters alongside Hollywood heavy hitters Forest Whitaker and Denzel Washington, who also directed it.
More roles would follow that, including guest stints on CSI: Miami, Rizzoli & Isles, and NCIS. But 2015 saw his biggest breakthrough and the number-one show to put on your essential viewing guide to all things Glen Powell!
Scream Queens
Role: Chad Radwell. Streaming on Hulu
Scream Queens was ahead of its time.
Coming off the mega-success of Glee, Ryan Murphy introduced the world to a satirical black comedy slasher series with a cast full of up-and-coming actresses and actors.
The first season alone saw Emma Roberts, Keke Palmer, Abigail Breslin, Ariana Grande, and Nick Jonas play in the Murphy-created world. The season centered around the Kappa Kappa Tau sorority at Wallace University and a mysterious serial killer terrorizing sorority members.
Throughout the series run, Powell played Chad Radwell, Emma Roberts’ character’s on-off boyfriend. An all-around jerk in a series full of them, Powell was a standout in the off-the-cuff series, which was hilariously over the top, as Murphy shows tend to be.
Chad was self-absorbed, flashy, inappropriate, and overall, not a very good person. But Powell did have moments where he humanized that frat bro, even if they were few and far between.
With only 23 episodes total (Powell is a main in the first season and recurring in the second), it’s not too big of a time commitment. And every Murphy fan owes it to themselves to check it out.
Everybody Wants Some!!
Role: Walt “Finn” Finnegan. Streaming on Pluto.
In recent years, Powell has been a star in many critically successful films, including the underseen but critically adored teen comedy film Everybody Wants Some!!
Taking place in 1950s Texas, the film follows a team of baseball players as they spend their days and nights partying and trying to pick up girls.
It’s a lot deeper than that and gives major Dazed and Confused vibes, and is another case of Powell being surrounded by a charming cast, including Superman himself, Tyler Hoechlin, and 9-1-1‘s own Ryan Guzman.
Powell plays Walt “Finn” Finnegan, and he’s definitely the most memorable character in the large ensemble. Powell is a scene-stealer as the young Finn with the megawatt smile, who seemingly can get anything he wants.
The movie is very heavy on bro-y comedy, and while it’s fun and there’s a lot underneath most of these “macho” guys, it’s far from perfect. However, Powell does his best with the material given and lends humanity to a character that may seem like he doesn’t have any at times.
Written and directed by Richard Linklater, of Boyhood fame, the movie isn’t well-known, but it’s worth a gander.
Set It Up
Role: Charlie Young. Streaming on Netflix.
Powell and Zoey Deutch were both in Everybody Wants Some!!, and they reunite in the romantic comedy Set It Up, which further cements the actor as a leading man.
In the 90s and 2000s, romantic comedies used to be all the rage. Think of Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey, and Richard Gere as those leading men at the forefront of some of the most memorable rom-coms in history.
Set It Up is no Pretty Woman or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but it’s a fun entry into the romantic comedy genre.
Powell is a hoot as Charlie Young, an overworked assistant to a powerful venture capitalist, who teams up with another overworked assistant who works in the same building as him to pair up their bosses so they’ll have more time for themselves.
Powell shows off his leading man chops here by leaning into Charlie’s ‘Is he nice or is he bad?’ vibes. The story only works if Powell and Deutch can play off one another in a believable way because the plot gets more and more nonsensical as the movie goes on.
Powell and Deutch have magnetic chemistry, and the film is generally funny, on top of the slow burn that radiates between the two leads. Fans have been clamoring for a sequel or even a new film starring the two because their chemistry was THAT intense.
You know a romantic comedy is good when two characters you could never see getting together at the start win you over by the end, and that’s precisely what happens here.
Top Gun: Maverick
Role: Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin. Streaming on Paramount+
Not to be overlooked, 2022 was the year of Top Gun: Maverick.
A massive commercial success, any list highlighting Powell’s on-screen achievements would be incomplete without this film on it.
The sequel to the beloved Top Gun has Powell in a supporting role as LT Jake “Hangman” Seresin. This is another role where Powell steps into the boots of a man with an inflated sense of self, but he owns the screen whenever he’s on it, making Hangman a star even when up against the almighty Maverick.
With Tom Cruise at the helm, the movie was a summer smash hit, as fans of the original and new fans alike went to the movies in droves to see a new crop of pilots.
The film’s popularity was for a good reason, and Powell does a great job with the material he’s given as the brash F/A-18E pilot and mission candidate with a competitive streak.
It seems like everyone has seen the hit film, but if you haven’t, it’s worth adding to your must-see list!
Anyone but You
Role: Ben. Streaming on Netflix
Top Gun: Maverick wasn’t the only smash hit for Powell.
Anyone but You, another romantic comedy starring the actor and Sydney Sweeney, became a sleeper hit in 2023. Accumulating over 200 million at the box office, audiences were thoroughly charmed by the comedy.
Like Powell and Deutch before, Powell and his leading lady, Sweeney, have a great on-screen rapport with which audiences fell in love.
The film received great word of mouth during its run, and Powell was praised heavily. Once again, Powell proved he was worthy of landing leading roles in big studio projects with his dynamic on-screen presence and comedic timing.
You can watch Anyone but You on Netflix now, and we sincerely suggest you check it out and see what all the hype’s about for yourself.
Twisters
Role: Tyler Owens. Playing in Theaters July 2024
Twisters isn’t scheduled to come out until July 19, 2024. So, we haven’t seen it and can’t definitively say whether it’s required viewing, but we’re awfully excited about it!
Rough weather films are a dying breed these days, but the sequel to the mega-hit Twister has a lot going for it. It has a strong cast and updated special effects that will surely be put to good use.
Not a lot is known about the film outside of the synopsis, but we do know that Powell will be stepping into the role of Tyler Owens, an adrenaline junkie who posts his storm-chasing adventures on social media.
He’ll find himself teaming up with Daisy Edgar-Jones’ Kate Cooper, who has an awful history with tornados but finds herself back in the storm-chasing game. It’s a quintessential summer movie, and we’ll be there opening night.
Hit Man
Role: Gary Johnson. Currently unavailable for viewing.
The romantic action movie Hit Man pairs Powell up with Richard Linklater, and after Twisters, it’s perhaps one of the most anticipated films to hit Netflix this year.
Powell will play an undercover police officer who poses as a hitman but gets in trouble when he tries to help a woman in need.
The movie won’t hit Netflix until July 2024. Still, the trailer has garnered much attention, with Powell again leaning into his charm and showing great chemistry with co-star Adria Arjona.
Powell has proven his ability to lead a film, and we’re excited to see him blending his comedic chops with his impressive action skills in this thriller. Plus, we’ll get to see Powell in a variety of wigs! Won’t that be fun?
Devotion
Role: Thomas Hudner. Streaming on Netflix
Hangman isn’t the only time Powell’s played a pilot, as he stepped into the role of real-life United States Navy officer and naval aviator Thomas Hudner in Devotion.
The film chronicles the friendship between Hudner and Jesse L. Brown, played by embattled actor Jonathan Majors. And it’s yet another movie that allows Powell to lean into his movie-star good looks and commanding screen presence to deliver a powerful performance.
The film was well-received by critics, and Powell is perfectly serviceable as the serious Hudner. The film hinges on the emotional connection between the two leads, and Powell is understated yet fierce in his portrayal of Hudner.
Top Gun and Devotion may involve flying, but they’re wildly different films. Though, Powell is outstanding in both.
Expendables 3
Role: Thorn. Streaming on Max
There’s a lot going on in Expendable 3, which you’re probably already aware of if you saw the first two.
Led by the biggest action stars of the past fifty years, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jason Statham, the film is all about the action and much less about the story.
Powell has a small role in the film as Thorn, a hacker, climber, and, you guessed it, pilot. Thorn is a part of the new-age Expendables recruits and makes an immediate impression.
Of the newbies brought into the franchise, Powell’s addition is the most seamless, as he stands toe-to-toe with Hollywood action royalty and not only looks like he belongs but like he’s been there for years.
Hidden Figures
Role: John Glenn. Streaming on Disney+
Hidden Figures was one of the biggest movies of 2016. When it debuted, the story of three black women who worked for NASA during the Space Race captivated audiences and critics alike.
Powell plays real-life astronaut John Glenn; while the role is small, he gives all his might to it. The film is really a showcase for acclaimed actresses Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe, but Powell holds his own and slips easily into the role.
It’s another example of Powell doing everything he can with his characters, no matter how big or small the role may be. His charisma here allows him to shine in the scenes he’s in, no matter who’s opposite him.
Hidden Figures is a magnificent film about the American Civil Rights movement, racism, and misogyny. It is a film everyone should watch.
10 Days
Role: Danny Miles. Available on Audible
Bonus! If you don’t have time for TV or movies but still want to enjoy Glen Powell’s talent, you can tune into the Audible Original podcast Ten Days.
Powell voices Danny Miles, an overlooked basketball player who earns a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Facing mental, physical, and emotional hurdles, he navigates bullying teammates, a resentful friend, a complicated ex-girlfriend, and an overbearing mother. With each episode covering a day, Danny must rise above the chaos or lose his dream forever.
The reviews are outstanding, with many non-sports fans noting how worthwhile it was to listen to this ten-day basketball adventure.
One reviewer said, “Glen Powell [did] an amazing job [of letting] us feel the pressure, stress, and all the emotions with this kind of situation,” while another noted that it helped them to overcome a challenge they were personally facing. High praise indeed!
This is a star on the rise.
Get to know Glen Powell while it’s still easy to devour his best work!
Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.
