Rising Hollywood Star Rejects Woke Trap, Refuses to Talk Politics: ‘My Calling Is Elsewhere’
Glen Powell is an actor known for major roles in films like “Top Gun: Maverick” and the romantic comedy “Anyone But You.” At age 37, he has gained a significant fanbase and credits his success in part to avoiding political discourse, which he believes tends to divide people and harm meaningful conversation. In an interview with Esquire, Powell explained that he prefers to stay out of politics to prevent unnecessary division and to maintain focus on his acting career. Despite his silence on political issues, Powell has a background linked to the Republican side: his mother worked in the Reagan administration, and his family has longstanding political ties in Texas. He faced criticism from some on the political left for not speaking out, but others, including conservatives, support his stance, emphasizing that his personal struggles-such as growing up in poverty and dealing with his parents’ cancer diagnoses-are reasons why he prioritizes perseverance and privacy over public political engagement. Powell advocates for celebrities to focus on their craft and human experiences rather than political controversies, arguing that the public prefers to enjoy talent and storytelling without celebrity politics overshadowing entertainment.
Glen Powell has starred in a number of major roles in his entertainment career.
From action blockbuster “Tom Gun: Maverick” to romantic comedy “Anyone But You,” the 37-year-old actor has quickly made a name for himself, and has picked up quite a few fans along the way.
One secret to his success has been his avoidance of politics — a topic which has sunk the reputations of many actors and distracted audiences from their work.
Powell said in an interview with Esquire that “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,” he described.
Glen Powell is staying quiet on politics in interviews because “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. 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.” (via Esquire)
https://t.co/MRtoVXQJ0K
— Variety (@Variety) October 7, 2026
“It’s not as healthy as it once was.”
Powell added that engaging in politics is “not presently possible” for him.
“I applaud people for jumping into those things and fighting for what they believe in,” he continued.
“If I were a political person, I would be talking about it. For me, my calling is elsewhere.”
While Powell has not tipped his hand regarding his own political beliefs, he actually has substantial Republican bona fides.
Powell’s mother, Cyndy Powell, served in the Reagan administration’s Treasury Department.
His father even took the Powell last name when he and Cyndy got married, since the Powell family was influential in Texas politics.
But the profile from Esquire noted that the family has also faced their hard times, with both parents getting diagnosed with cancer when Powell was 24.
The family also did not have substantial sums of money, forcing Powell to be incredibly persistent to make it in the entertainment world.
Powell received criticism from the left for staying out of the political fray, but many defended his position.
Brittany Hugoboom, the founder of the conservative Evie Magazine, concluded on social media that Powell is “right” for “staying quiet on politics.”
People are upset at Glen Powell for staying quiet on politics but he’s right.
It’s so divisive. People are so unhinged.
And people aren’t even reading his Esquire cover story. They’re so busy calling him privileged when he literally talks about how he grew up poor and couldn’t help his parents when they both got cancer. That’s why he had the desire to make money. That’s called perseverance.
Skydance is going to disrupt Hollywood so we have to stop with the insane politics. When the Rock got political, all it did was backfire on him and make him less liked. Jennifer Lawrence recognized this. She gets it.
The average person wants to watch a talented person be talented. You want to watch someone in a film and get lost in the story. Celebrities used to be mysterious and that’s why we were fascinated by them.
The average person wants love. They want to be healthy. They want to be safe. Human nature is the same and has been for centuries. Just because someone has a different view on how we get there, it doesn’t make them evil.
— Brittany Hugoboom (@BritHugoboom) October 8, 2026
“They’re so busy calling him privileged when he literally talks about how he grew up poor and couldn’t help his parents when they both got cancer. That’s why he had the desire to make money. That’s called perseverance,” Hugoboom reacted.
She also noted how other stars — such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — only saw their political takes “backfire” on them and their careers.
“The average person wants to watch a talented person be talented. You want to watch someone in a film and get lost in the story. Celebrities used to be mysterious and that’s why we were fascinated by them,” she continued.
“The average person wants love. They want to be healthy. They want to be safe. Human nature is the same and has been for centuries. Just because someone has a different view on how we get there, it doesn’t make them evil.”
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