While walking the Golden Globes red carpet, Glen Powell was recently asked about the constant online comparisons to Tom Cruise, particularly the growing belief that the Anyone But You and Twisters star could be on track to become \u201cthe next Tom Cruise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having appeared in Top Gun: Maverick together, Cruise has become a mentor for Powell, and aside from\u00a0The Running Man\u00a0recent box office underperformance, Powell’s recent run of critically and commercially successful films\u00a0has many thinking that, between Powell\u2019s movie-star charisma, leading-man looks, and guidance from Cruise himself, Powell might one day step into the space currently occuppied by\u00a0“the last movie star.”<\/p>\n
While on the red carpet, Powell understandably shied away from that notion.<\/p>\n
“There is only one Tom Cruise,” said Powell at the Golden Globes. “And anyone that tries to recreate those footsteps, that’s a losing enterprise. But I will say, to have Tom as a friend, as a mentor, as a guy that’s really in every single phase of this business,\u00a0\u00a0which can be pretty disorienting- for the busiest guy in Hollywood, he’s the most present guy who always shows up. And I’m very, very grateful to call him a friend.”<\/p>\n
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Glen Powell on being labeled as “the next Tom Cruise” #GoldenGlobes<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/KOzgNaNekY<\/a><\/p>\n
Cruise reportedly went to bat for Powell\u2019s casting in Top Gun: Maverick, personally pushing to have him brought into the project and even helping retool the \u201cHangman\u201d character to better play to Powell\u2019s strengths. From that point on, Cruise has effectively taken on the role of Powell\u2019s Hollywood mentor.<\/p>\n With Cruise, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio all now in the latter stages of their storied careers, Hollywood has been actively hunting for the next generation of actors to carry the torch and become the new class of \u201cclassic\u201d movie stars, actors who can open a film on name recognition alone, not the strength of a superhero brand.<\/p>\n For many observers, Cruise appears to have identified his own successor in Powell.<\/p>\n There are even rumors that Cruise wants Powell to take over the\u00a0Mission: Impossible franchise whenever Cruise finally confirms that he’s no longer going to portray Ethan Hunt.<\/p>\n Powell has frequently described the informal \u201cfilm school\u201d Cruise put him through, covering everything from handling movie-star fame to the nuts and bolts of performing stunts.<\/p>\n For instance, on The Running Man, Powell disclosed that he had numerous hour-long chats with Cruise, primarily centered on how to “run cool” on camera.<\/p>\n “Film yourself running on camera as soon as possible. You don\u2019t look as cool as you think you do,\u201d Powell recounted on his prep with Cruise for the ’80s sci-fi remake<\/a>. “When you get hit on screen, you are getting hit,” Cruise also told him.<\/p>\n
\n\u2014 Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 12, 2026<\/a>
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