Glen Powell shares how he coped with years-long struggle before Hollywood success: Have to lie to yourself

Glen Powell opened up about struggling for years as an aspiring actor before finding fame. Over the past couple of years, the 36-year-old actor has cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars following a string of hit movies.However, Powell’s career success was hard-won. During a recent interview with Vanity Fair, he candidly reflected on facing a long, uphill battle while he was striving to make it in the entertainment industry. “As a struggling actor, there’s no harder place to live than being in Hollywood with nothing going on,” Powell admitted.He continued, “The currency of that town is how relevant you are and what your last job is.

It makes you oppressively self-aware.”“Where people can get caught in a rut is where they just want to continue spinning the roulette wheel without any thought of why.They just stay at the table for no reason other than to stay at the table.”The Austin, Texas native made his film debut in 2003’s “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over,” Powell was in his senior year of high school when he landed a role in Denzel Washington’s 2007 movie “The Great Debaters.”After being impressed by Powell’s talent, Washington introduced the actor to his agent Ed Limato.

In May, Powell told The Hollywood Reporter that he was in his freshman year at the University of Texas at Austin when Limato called and asked if he was attending “The Great Debaters” premiere in LA.Powell recalled that he met with Washington and Limato, who convinced him to move to Hollywood.After leaving Austin for LA, Powell spent years trying to land roles, enduring long periods between acting gigs.While speaking with Vanity Fair, Powell recalled how he was able to convince himself not to give up on his dreams during difficult 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 whe...