Glen Powell says he will stay out of politics after Running Man flop
Glen Powell wants no part of political talk.
The actor lays out his position in a new Esquire cover story published on 7 October 2026, saying politics divides people and that engaging in it “is not presently possible,” according to reporting by Variety. He puts it bluntly. “I do not like the discourse.”
Powell told Esquire that politics interests him even less now. He grew up with parents who never brought up current events at the dinner table. His calling, he said, is elsewhere.
He is not alone in stepping back. Dwayne Johnson said in his own 2026 Esquire cover story that he will no longer speak publicly about politics. Johnson said in 2024 that he regretted endorsing Joe Biden for president in 2020 because it caused division among his fans. Jennifer Lawrence has also told The New York Times about her resistance to talking to the press about politics.
The interview also revisits the fall 2025 release of The Running Man, the Paramount Pictures film that bombed at the box office after a run of hits for Powell that included Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You and Twisters. The film was directed by Edgar Wright and draws from a Stephen King story, with Powell playing Ben Richards in what he described as a physically exhausting role. Powell turned to Top Gun: Maverick co-star Tom Cruise for advice on the action work.
Powell offered his own explanation for the flop. He said The Running Man lost momentum after Paramount laid off its entire marketing department. A tentpole, a big-budget release built to carry much of a studio’s year, lives or dies on that kind of campaign.
Filming took a physical toll as well. Powell suffered a hand injury during production and received a frightening warning before surgery, as detailed by Esquire. He had completed a huge press tour for the film, including fashion and watch coverage around its release.
For fans, this means less red-carpet commentary and more focus on the next job. Powell is not campaigning, not endorsing and not debating. He is back on set with a sore hand and a clear boundary.
