Glen Powell Explains Why He Declined a Photo with Controversial Hollywood Star

Glen Powell recently opened up about a moment where he chose not to take a photo with a Hollywood star who had been canceled.

Speaking on the Therapuss with Jake Shane podcast, Powell said he met the actor at a party and admitted he had admired their work.

“This person had made some of my favorite movies,” he said. However, when asked for a photo, Powell declined, feeling that being pictured with the actor could reflect poorly on him because of the celebrity’s tarnished reputation.

“And I realized that this guy, his face is toxic,” Powell shared. “Going out into the world, people are having a visceral reaction to this person in terms of the bad choice they’ve made.” He made it clear that while he respected the actor’s work, he did not support their actions.

Powell also compared the canceled actor to his character, Russ Holliday, from the new comedy series Chad Powers. “Russ Holliday is just a guy who made a mistake. He’s not a bad guy,” Powell explained. “Some of these other people who get canceled, they should lie where they’re shot.”

He reflected on how cancel culture has changed the way mistakes are treated in the age of social media. “And I found it to be interesting how people react to those moments. Do they double down, do they take accountability, do they believe in conspiracy theories? Just having a character learning to say ‘I’m sorry’ is a really beautiful thing,” Powell added.

Powell did not reveal the name of the actor, keeping their identity private while sharing his perspective on accountability and public perception in Hollywood.

Powell’s stance shows how difficult it can be to separate admiration for someone’s work from their personal actions. It’s a reminder that public figures are held to high standards, and even small associations can carry weight. What do you think about actors navigating these tricky situations? Share your thoughts in the comments.