Glen Powell’s Career in Pictures: From ‘Spy Kids’ to ‘Hit Man’
Glen Powell is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. The actor has been in the business for more than two decades now, but the last two years have seen his stock rise considerably with film fans as he proves his scene-stealing skills in dramas, action films, and rom-coms alike.
His latest is the action-comedy Hit Man, which is in the middle of its limited theatrical run before arriving on Netflix this Friday, June 7.
In the new film, Powell stars as Gary Johnson, a professor who pretends to be a hitman in order to catch people in the act of hiring assassins. The film, which is directed by Richard Linklater, has a near-perfect score with critics, who’ve almost universally praised Powell’s star power in the pic.
Before the film hits Netflix, here’s a look back at Powell’s career, from his earliest days as a background actor and TV guest star to his time in the limelight.
Spy Kids 3: Game Over
Powell had a blink-and-you’d-miss-it role in this 2003 kids actioner. It was his first major motion picture part, and he was billed simply as “the long-fingered boy.”
The Wendell Baker Story
You’d also have to know what to look for when spotting him in this 2005 drama. He appeared early in the pic as the poor paper boy that the lead character runs down with his car just for kicks.
Jumping Off Bridges
Powell appeared in this 2006 indie drama about a man who suffers a loss as Eric Turner.
Fast Food Nation
Hit Man isn’t the first time Powell got to work with Richard Linklater; he also had a role in this 2006 dramedy that earned Powell a ticket (alongside the cast) to Cannes Film Festival.
The Safe Side: Internet Safety
In this 2006 digital short, Powell played a kooky kid called the Danger Dude.
The Great Debaters
Powell played a Harvard debater in this 2007 biographical drama, and working with co-star Denzel Washington in the film impacted him greatly.
On a recent episode of Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist, Powell admitted, “Denzel Washington really pushed me out of the nest a bit and said, ‘You should double-down on yourself. You should give this a shot,'” adding, “I’ve seen him since. He’s like, ‘You owe me. You owe me.'”
Without a Trace
Powell appeared as Brett Farnsworthin the Season 7 episode, “True/False,” in 2008.
CSI: Miami
Powell appeared as Logan Crawford in the Season 7 episode, “Head Case,” in 2009.
Rizzoli & Isles
In Season 2’s “Remember Me” episode, which aired in 2011, Powell starred as Graham Randall.
The Lying Game
Powell appeared in Episode 17 of this short-lived CW series.
The Dark Knight Rises
Powell had a brief appearance in 2012’s dark superhero actioner as a trader.
Stuck in Love.
You can catch Powell as a good-looking frat boy in this 2012 romantic drama.
NCIS
Powell guest-starred as Marine Sergeant Evan Westcott, the brother of a man with PTSD, in a two-episode arc in Season 10.
Red Wing
Powell took the lead in this 2013 drama, starring as a young foster kid whose good looks as a teenager cause his foster father to be jealous.
April Apocalypse
Powell has a teeny tiny role as Dickie in this 2013 zombie rom-com.
The Expendables 3
Powell got to rub elbows with some of the biggest names in the biz for this 2014 action drama.
Sex Ed
This 2014 comedy featured Powell as JT, the sexually promiscuous roommate of a teacher trying to introduce his students to reproductive education.
Ride Along 2
This 2014 action-comedy featured Powell as Troy, a drug dealer with dangerous connections.
Misconduct
Powell appeared in this 2016 drama about an ambitious lawyer who takes on a massive pharmaceutical company.
Everybody Wants Some!!
Another collaboration between Powell and Linklater was this 2016 teen dramedy, which features him as Finnegan, a popular upperclassman.
Scream Queens
Powell starred as Chad Radwell, an insufferable prep, in this satirical horror-comedy series.
Hidden Figures
In this celebrated 2016 biographical drama, Powell portrayed astronaut John Glenn.
Sand Castle
This 2017 war drama featured Powell as SGT Dylan Chutsky, an Army soldier in Iraq in 2003.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
This 2018 period drama featured Powell as Mark Reynolds, a soldier who is engaged to an author in the World War II era.
Set It Up
This 2018 Netflix rom-com featured Powell as Charlie, an executive assistant who meets his romantic match in their shared work building.
Top Gun: Maverick
This 2022 blockbuster sequel featured Powell as Hangman, a cocky pilot who is one of the recruits for a top-secret Naval mission.
Devotion
Powell starred in this 2022 biographical drama as Tom Hudner, a pilot who is partnered with the Navy’s first Black aviator.
Anyone But You
This hit 2023 rom-com featured Powell as Ben, a man who is forced to spend a week with a former one-night stand when they are both part of a destination wedding party.
Hit Man
Now, audiences can see him take on an array of roles as the character pretends to be a hit man in all manner of situations.
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