“Politics divides people”: Glenn Powell opens up about why he stays out of politics

PaleyLive
Glen Powell - PaleyLive's "Chad Powers" Season 2: "Back In The Game" Screening - Source: Getty

Actor, screenwriter, and producer Glen Powell appeared on the latest cover of Esquire magazine and spoke about why he stays out of politics. He explained that despite working for the government, his parents never brought up work at the dinner table, and he said “Thank God” for that.

“Over time, I realized that politics divides 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,” the ‘Running Man’ actor stated.

According to the magazine, “Politics interests him even less now.”

Glen Powell’s mother worked in the U.S. Treasury Department during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. His father, who was an executive coach, also had his own political aspirations.


Celebrities besides Glen Powell who stay out of politics

Earlier this year, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appeared in an Esquire cover story and said he would no longer speak about politics and instead focus on his work.

“Politics is omnipresent and it’s forever. I don’t like it. I hate it at times. I hate the slinging. I hate all the bullsh*t that comes with it,” Johnson stated.

Before that, The Rock told Fox News in 2024 that he regretted endorsing Joe Biden in 2020 as it divided his fans.

Jennifer Lawrence, who famously criticized Trump during his first term, and wrote an op-ed after the 2016 Election Day that the only people who were “safe” in the United States were “white men,” refused to speak about politics during an interview with The New York Times.

“I don’t really know if I should. The first Trump administration was so wild, and just how can we let this stand? I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. But as we’ve learned, election after election, celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever in who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart. We are so divided,” Lawrence shared.

The Hunger Games actress added:

“I do not want to start turning people off to films and to art that could change consciousness or change the world because they don’t like my political opinions.”

Lawrence explained she could make movies like Bread and Roses at her production company instead of being vocal about politics. The film is about three women in Afghanistan in 2021 amid the Taliban regime.


Glen Powell appeared on CBS Mornings in 2024 and said Tom Cruise advised him to “control the noise” around his image. He further explained at the time:

“When things pop off, it’s just gonna get very loud. Nothing else has changed. But you determine how loud you need all that noise to be. You can turn it up, or you can turn it down, but it’s up to you.”

Powell will next appear in the country-music comedy movie The Comeback King.

Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!

Edited by Pallavi K