S Poddar
Glen Powell, who starred in movies such as Twister and Anything But You, recently reflected on his early life in Hollywood struggles. “I really needed a hug,” the 36-year-old actor said to Vanity Fair in an interview published in their 2025 Hollywood Issue about the rough times he experienced at the start of his career.
Powell’s honesty about the challenges of being a newcomer in the industry gives some glimpse into the emotional toll that aspiring actors endure while trying to make a name for themselves. He described the experience of being a struggling actor in Hollywood as one of the most difficult phases of his life. “As a struggling actor, there’s no harder place to live than being in Hollywood with nothing going on,” he admitted.
The actor explained that in Hollywood, success is measured by the jobs you last undertook. Relevance and visibility are the ultimate currencies there. “The currency of that town is how relevant you are and what your last job is. It makes you oppressively self-aware,” he said. For Powell, it only gave more to the striving of trying to advance through the early years in Hollywood.
However, with those stern circumstances came the insight that one of the only ways to weather the toughest times is with self-reassurance. An actor said, “You need a form of self-deception to be able to push through the dark times.”. “Even at the darkest moments in that town, when I really didn’t have anything happening, you sort of have to lie to yourself, at least a little bit, and act like this is that chapter of the story where things just aren’t going right,” Powell shared.
According to Powell, this inner conversation can help one keep hope alive and maintain concentration. Instead of giving way to self-doubt, the actor kept hard on holding onto belief that there eventually would be success. Powell encouraged aspiring actors to remember the stories of those they admire in particular, legends of Hollywood who also struggled in like ways before their careers took off. You have to believe in the Hollywood legends of those people that you admire, the people that you’re chasing, who had those long stretches of famine as well,” he said.
These are some stories that inspire Powell, remembering that success is very often built on years of struggle. While Hollywood is a city of continuous competition and uncertainty, it was this that proved Powell’s resilience and faith in himself, which eventually broke him through.
While reflecting on his career, Powell also mentioned the challenges of being an actor in an always-evolving entertainment industry. The advent of social media and streaming platforms puts the pressure on actors to stay visible and relevant more than ever. However, Powell’s experience is a reminder that even in an industry that is often unforgiving, persistence and self-belief can help achieve success.
Ultimately, the story of Powell epitomizes perseverance. The depth of effort he was able to sustain, even through the most challenging times with uncertainty and challenges, defined who he is as an actor today. Thus, his story presents a valuable lesson to people trying to make it in Hollywood-to believe in the process at times when the path ahead seems unclear.
