Glen Powell Credits Chris Pratt for Shifting Hollywood’s Leading Man Image

Los Angeles, CA — Glen Powell is praising Chris Pratt for his role in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” saying it transformed Hollywood’s perception of leading men. In a recent cover story, Powell acknowledged that Pratt’s breakout performance allowed actors like him to find success outside the traditional “brooding” archetype.

“I remember when Chris Pratt broke out in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,'” Powell said. “There’s no doubt it really helped — not being brooding or dark. Like, I’m not Christian Bale. Christian Bale has a gravitas and a weight, and Pattinson had his thing. But when Pratt kind of appeared on the scene, he was doing things that were a little more silly and buoyant; that’s where I feel most at home.”

Powell, who has made a name for himself with hits like “Anyone But You” and “Twisters,” is gearing up for his first starring role in an action movie, Edgar Wright‘s adaptation of “The Running Man,” set to hit theaters on November 14. He emphasized the rigorous training he underwent for the role, inspired by advice from his mentor and co-star in “Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise.

“I knew that based on the Stephen King book, [my character] Ben Richards was a tank,” Powell explained. “I was like, ‘Okay, I got to be a bit of a weapon.’ That’s why I trained as intensely as I did. I put on a lot of muscle, some of it for functional strength to absorb hits, but also authentically for an audience. I began to feel like a high-performance athlete rather than just an actor on a movie.”

Powell also shared a humorous moment with Cruise during the filming of “Top Gun: Maverick” regarding his dietary choices. “Cruise gave me shit” after he showed up on set with a mushroom-infused coffee drink that looked unappetizing. “He kind of looked at me for a second and said, ‘You look like you’re drinking a stool sample. What is that?’ I realized I had taken it too far with my concoction,” Powell recounted with a smile.

For more details on Powell’s perspective and aspirations, check out his full cover story in GQ.