Glen Powell Responds to Comparisons With Tom Cruise—Here’s What He Really Thinks

So apparently Glen Powell keeps getting called 'the next Tom Cruise.' Which, if you've been anywhere near Hollywood chatter lately, is a comparison that's picking up steam. People love labels. The thing is, Powell isn’t exactly leaning into the hype.

'There's Only One Tom Cruise'

The question came up (yet again) on the red carpet at the 83rd Golden Globes. Powell's response was pretty much what you’d expect from a guy who's clearly thought about this whole “successor to Tom Cruise” storyline:

'I mean, there is only one Tom Cruise. Anyone who tries to recreate those footsteps… It’s a losing enterprise.'

Basically: he gets the flattery, but he’s not about to pretend he can just swap into Cruise’s shoes and make that magic. Hard to blame him. Cruise is Cruise for a reason.

Powell kept it real, though. He talked about how Tom isn't just an icon but a legit mentor and friend—which, let’s be honest, seems like a golden ticket if you want to make sense of Hollywood. Even with how busy Cruise is, Powell says he always makes time and actually shows up. (Hard not to notice the contrast with a lot of big names in the industry who are more 'ghost' than 'mentor.')

A Running List of Glen Powell’s Career Highlights

• Early gigs: First movie was Spy Kids 3: Game Over back in 2003, so yes, he’s been at it since he was a kid.
• Smaller parts: Flash forward, you may have spotted him in The Dark Knight Rises, The Expendables 3, TV shows like Scream Queens, and rom-com Set It Up.
• The big break: 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. He played Hangman, going toe-to-toe with Tom Cruise himself. That one officially put him on the mainstream map.
• Recent action runs: He starred in The Running Man (where, just for the record, he did most of his own stunts—including jumping off a bridge and rappelling down buildings). Not a one-off: he’s also fronted movies like Hit Man and Twisters. He’s clearly chasing an action-hero résumé, but doesn’t act like he’s trying to be a carbon copy.
• Pivot to comedy: Led the rom-com Anyone But You and stars in the Hulu series Chad Powers. That one even scored him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

Not Just the Next Anybody

So yeah, Glen Powell is having a serious moment—he's picking up projects left and right, flexing action chops and comedic timing, and refusing to play the 'next Cruise' game. Wise move. Odds are, there’s room for more than one sweaty, jaw-clenching blockbuster star in Hollywood.