Glen Powell Leading the way

THE BOOKEDAND-BUSY MOVIE STAR IS STAYING GROUNDED WHILE HIS DREAMS COME TRUE

- By Jennie Noonan

In Chad Powers, Powell's character dons prosthetics to fool people into thinking he's a new player.

Glen Powell had to get the approval of King, the novel's author, to star in the new film adaptation of The Running Man. ay len Powell’s recent birthday may not have been your typical milestone one, but he certainly celebrated turning 37 in style.

The actor threw an epic Tracksuits and Tequila-themed bash in Los Angeles on October 2, where a slew of celebrity pals including Kate Hudson, a heavily pregnant Vanessa Hudgens, Taika Waititi and Rita Ora, newly single Nina Dobrev, a just-engaged Camila Mendes, John Stamos and Meghan Trainor - turned up to toast the movie star of the moment. “I love my life. I love my friends,” Powell captioned a carousel of party pictures on Instagram. “Tracksuits and Tequila forever.”

It’s no wonder he’s feeling grateful. Over the past few years, Powell has cemented his status as one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, with a string of hits that includes action-heavy turns in highly anticipated blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick (2022), Netflix crime rom-com Hit Man (2023), standalone disaster sequel Twisters (2024) and buzzed-about romantic comedy Anyone but You (2023).

And he’s keeping the momentum going in his latest film, The Running Man - an adaptation of the 1982 dystopian novel written by Stephen King under a pen-name - about a life-or-death global game show with a billion-dollar prize. Powell's character, Ben Richards - played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 original - takes part to raise money to pay for his daughter's medication.

“With great sci-fi always comes an ability to analyse your own existence,” Powell said in an interview with