Glen Powell has been acting since he was a kid but did not get that required breakout role for a long time. Many fans didn’t know he was in Spy Kids 3D, The Great Debaters, and The Dark Knight Rises. He also had supporting roles in acclaimed films in the 2010s like Hidden Figures and Everybody Wants Some!!.
Powell got his much-deserved breakout role as Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick. The character’s arc was parallel to the arc of Val Kilmer’s Hangman in the first Top Gun. The two actors ended up in an elevator after shooting wrapped on the film. Looking at Powell’s luggage cart, Kilmer had a funny reaction that made Powell incredibly happy and proud.
Val Kilmer Was Reminded of His Top Gun Experience Seeing Glen Powell’s Luggage Cart
Glen Powell joined the cast of Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick, almost 35 years after the first Top Gun in 1986. With Miles Teller playing the role of Rooster, there were many callbacks to the first film, and Powell’s Hangman was a mirror to Val Kilmer‘s Iceman. Kilmer also returned for the sequel for a pivotal role in the movie.
Powell trained extensively for the role and had to be in great physique. Thus, he had some weights and protein powder along with his luggage that he was transporting out of his hotel after filming wrapped. The actor bumped into Kilmer in the elevator, and the Top Gun star grew curious with Powell’s luggage.
Powell recalled Kilmer taking a picture of his luggage, presumably impressed by his dedication to his role. Kilmer seemed to have a deja-vu moment as he saw himself in Powell when he was prepping similarly for the first film. Powell said (via Cinemablend),
When we were leaving Miramar, I was moving out of my hotel room and I had one of those luggage carts — had already moved all my stuff out. The only thing on the luggage cart at the end was some weights, protein powder, and tequila. And I got caught in the elevator with Val. And he looked at the luggage cart and he took a picture of it. He was like, ‘That’s Top Gun right there! That was my Top Gun.’
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With Hangman essentially inspired by Kilmer’s Iceman, getting his positive feedback about Powell’s prep for the film must be humbling for the actor. Powell’s Hangman beaome one of the standout characters in the film and remains his most popular role that fans know him by. Fans can watch Powell and Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+.
The Incredible Trust Between Glen Powell and Richard Linklater Is One for The Ages
Glen Powell and Richard LLinklater are reuniting for their fourth collaboration, Hit Man. Powell plays a fake hitman who wears various disguises to lure criminals and help police capture those who try to hire him. The actor puts on five disguises with different personalities and quirks, which, surprisingly enough, were performed for the first time on set.
In a Q&A moderated by Rachel Brosnahan, Powell recalled how they did not have time to rehearse for the various disguises, and Linklater trusted him to play them well on the day of shooting. While the director was initially nervous about it, Powell assured Linklater that he could count on him and surprised the director with his wacky portrayals of the various disguises. Powell said (YouTube),
“In this movie, all the characters that I play, Rick didn’t get to see those until I performed them on set. That’s a lot of trust! I knew he was nervous about it, we just didn’t have time. He was like, ‘We should look at those characters’ beforehand…All of a sudden, we got to game day, and Rick’s like, ‘You got it?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, I think I got it, we’ll see!’
Powell is getting a lot of great praise for his performance in Hit Man. The film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and has a glowing 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest in his career. The film also stars Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, and Retta. Hit Man hits Netflix on June 7, 2024.