Signs Glen Powell Aspires to Be the Next Tom Cruise

There’s only one Tom Cruise, but many have tried to emulate Hollywood’s iconic star, including Glen Powell. The two actors teamed up for the first time in “Top Gun: Maverick,” where Cruise took Powell under his wing. Though Powell is experiencing fame now, he had to work hard, much like Cruise, who became a household name in the ’80s.

After several minor roles, “Top Gun: Maverick” propelled Powell’s career. His fame grew further with his lead role in the rom-com “Anyone But You” alongside Sydney Sweeney. Powell continued his success with the summer blockbuster “Twisters,” which earned $80.5 million on its opening weekend, according to Forbes. Powell attributes his market presence to advice from Cruise.

“Cruise gave me advice,” Powell shared on “CBS Mornings.” Powell emphasized that Cruise told him to manage the “noise” as his fame grew, an advice he’s taken to heart. As he molds his career, Powell seems to be following closely in Cruise’s footsteps.

Not everyone gets to work with their childhood idols, but Glen Powell did when he starred in “Top Gun: Maverick” alongside Tom Cruise. Initially, Powell didn’t get the role he desired, but Cruise intervened. He listened to Powell’s ambitions and helped him land the role of Hangman. Powell said he wanted to follow in Cruise’s footsteps and Cruise advised him to speak with the producers about the character, leading to the creation of Hangman.

Inspired by Cruise, Powell produced the documentary “The Blue Angels,” based on U.S. Navy pilots known for their daring aerial displays. This mirrored Cruise’s path, whose passion for aviation inspired his role in “Top Gun.” Powell noted, “His love of aviation became my love of aviation.”

If Glen Powell desires to be the next Tom Cruise, he’s on the right path. From their shared megawatt smiles to thick hair, the similarities are noticeable. Powell’s hair transformation over the years, now similar to Cruise’s, adds to their resemblance. At the “Twisters” premiere, they even had a twinning moment, sporting black outfits.

An X user hilariously commented on the uncanny likeness: “Very funny to me that everyone is acting as if Tom Cruise is just mentoring Glen Powell, when in reality Cruise has been seeking a new host body for years, and now? now the transfer is nearly complete.” Clearly, others are noticing the striking similarities too.

After working on “Top Gun: Maverick,” Glen Powell dived into the action genre with “Twisters” following. Powell shared that filming “Top Gun: Maverick” prepared him for his future roles, teaching him invaluable lessons he applied to “Twisters.”

According to Variety, Powell is set to star in a remake of “The Running Man,” originally headlined by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film follows a convict competing in deadly games for survival. Powell’s affinity for performing his own stunts makes him a perfect fit for the role. “There’s a little screw loose,” he admitted, embracing the challenge much like Cruise, who is also known for doing his own stunts.

To master the craft of acting, Glen Powell took lessons directly from Tom Cruise. In a GQ interview, Powell revealed that Cruise sent him to a theater for a six-hour private screening on the nuances of filmmaking. Powell was the only attendee, as Cruise had said, “This is just for my friends.”

Powell didn’t mind investing time to learn from his mentor, sharing, “We’re kindred spirits; he’s obsessed with movies.” Powell added that he marveled at Cruise’s ability to communicate seamlessly with every department on set. Cruise also coached Powell on portraying Hangman’s arrogance, a role which Powell nailed in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Tom Cruise also taught Glen Powell how to pose for pictures. At the “Twisters” premiere, Cruise was there to support Powell and showed him how to angle his popcorn for photographers. The endearing moment was shared on X, previously Twitter, with Mogul Productions joking, “Tom Cruise: actor, stuntman, and now, popcorn posing coach. Is there anything he can’t do?”

Powell seems to have studied Cruise’s stance, mirroring Cruise’s pose during the “Top Gun: Maverick” press tour. Both actors stood with one hand in their pockets, their other arms around each other, a moment Powell proudly shared on Instagram. It’s evident that Powell genuinely admires Cruise, and as they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery.