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Glen Powell wants nothing to do with Hollywood’s political firestorms.
The “Top Gun: Maverick” star opened up about his decision to stay out of politics and why he believes the growing divide has made it nearly impossible to have a healthy conversation.
“Over time, I realized that politics divide people,” Powell told Esquire. “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.”
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Glen Powell refused to wade into politics in an interview with Esquire. (Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images)
For Powell, engaging in politics is “not presently possible.”
“I applaud people for jumping into those things and fighting for what they believe in,” he added. “If I were a political person, I would be talking about it. For me, my calling is elsewhere.”
Powell’s reluctance to wade into politics dates back to his upbringing.
Despite his mother’s work in the Reagan administration at the U.S. Treasury Department, the actor said politics and current events weren’t regular topics of conversation around the family dinner table.
He echoed the sentiment in a previous interview with The Guardian.
“I’m not a political person,” he said in October 2025. “I like things that bring people together.”
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Glen Powell had his breakthrough moment with his role in “Top Gun: Maverick” alongside Tom Cruise. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
With politics increasingly dividing audiences, even Hollywood’s biggest stars are finding it harder to appeal to everyone. Powell weighed in on whether entertainment can still bring Americans together and if action movies are one of the last remaining escapes from the political divide.
“That’s a good point. There’s a universal language of action, which is also why those movies translate so well internationally,” he added. “‘Running Man’ is about something universal – what you would be willing to do for the people you love? But also how people can feel powerless in the face of a world that feels more and more unequal, more unfair.”
“So, you’re not going to see me talk politics. But movies – that’s how I express myself,” he added. “Movies are a conversation; politics always felt to me like two people trying to prove a point.”
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Glen Powell has previously said he likes to express himself through movies. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Powell has become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable leading men, thanks to standout performances in “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Anyone But You” and “Twisters.”
Yet his stardom didn’t light overnight.
He once had a casting director tell him he’d be lucky to “play a dead body” on CSI as he struggled for a decade to get his foot in the door.
“There was a point where I realized that acting is not a meritocracy,” he said during an appearance on “CBS Mornings.” And just because you exist on a longer timeline doesn’t mean it’s going to work out. Right? There’s a lot of other bigger forces at play.”
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Glen Powell starred in “How to Make a Killing.” (Ilze Kitshof/A24)
“The fact that all of those sort of detours along the way about learning how to sort of develop and raise money and write – all these things are now kind of leading me to a place where all of those weapons are at my disposal,” he added.
The Hollywood heartthrob kept his hot streak alive in 2026, starring alongside Margaret Qualley in the dark comedy thriller “How to Make a Killing” before lending his voice to Fox McCloud in “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”
The Texas-born star is gearing up for two major 2027 projects, including Judd Apatow’s comedy “The Comeback King” and J.J. Abrams’ sci-fi adventure “The Great Beyond.”
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Michelle Randolph and Glen Powell were first romantically linked in late 2025 before making their relationship Instagram official in July 2026. (Apple TV via Getty Images)
Outside of work, Powell began a whirlwind relationship with “Landman” star Michelle Randolph.
“Life is fast for both of us,” he told Esquire. “And we have the same values. She loves her family. I love my family. And we both care about work a lot. We both like to show up for our partners. And yet we also understand the balance of it all.”
While both stars juggle demanding careers, Powell made it clear that having someone who understands the pressures of Hollywood is only part of the equation.
“There’s something so lovely about someone rooting for you,” he told the outlet. “Someone who wants you to win in all the ways that are good for you as a human. Not just professionally but in all the ways that are good for your soul.”
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