Glen Powell Sparks Debate After Explaining Why He Doesn't 'Like' To Talk About Politics

Actor Glen Powell, who stars in Hulu's sports comedy series Chad Powers, told Esquire magazine that he remains silent about politics because his "calling is elsewhere."

The Austin, Texas, native—who still calls the state home after having bought himself and each of his family members homes there—is best known for roles in the Top Gun sequel Top Gun: Maverick, the Twister sequel/reboot Twisters, and the Running Man remake.

Powell told Esquire:

"Over time, I realized that politics divide people. People trying to prove their point—for me, it’s the worst version of a conversation. I genuinely do not like the discourse."

Powell, whose mother worked for the U.S. Treasury Department during the Reagan administration, added:

"It’s not as healthy as it once was. [Engaging in politics] is not presently possible. I applaud people for jumping into those things and fighting for what they believe in."

"If I were a political person, I would be talking about it. For me, my calling is elsewhere."

But in the current political climate, especially in states like Texas, Powell's attempted neutrality is drawing heat. New York Magazine's The Cut did an opinion piece calling Powell out.

Writer Olivia Craighead opined:

"It does sort of seem that Powell thinks politics is simply a conversation that might make things awkward at a dinner party and not something that directly affects people’s real lives."

"'For me, my calling is elsewhere' is, unfortunately, an amazing way to say you don’t want to do something."

Some people who don't believe that celebrities should talk politics agreed with Powell:

@21Naija/X

But many others took Powell to task for his silence about the current state of affairs in the United States:

@woodo/Bluesky

@woodo/Bluesky

@lindsayfickas; @notagallopho/Bluesky

@dmccoy_01/X

When The Guardian asked Powell last year about avoiding public discourse as a public figure, Powell stated:

"The sad part is you do have to separate yourself. You can’t get caught up in it – it has nothing to do with you, it has to do with ad dollars. And, you know, there is no course-correcting. If something’s false, you’re not actually setting the record straight, you’re just feeding the beast."

"That’s why I don’t say sh*t—just let it come, and let it go. Not feeding the beast and not trying to fight anything. I’ve realized the smart people in Hollywood don’t try to fight anything that has nothing to do with them."

That's a very different take than his current admiration for those who speak out in the face of fascism.

What a difference a year, or a publicist, can make.