Glen Powell: ‘Politics divide people,’ and he wants no part of it

Glen Powell says he has no interest in speaking out on politics, telling Esquire in a new cover story that the subject divides people and the public conversation around it has soured.

“Over time, I realized that politics divide people,” the “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Twisters” star said in the profile published Wednesday. He described arguing to prove a point as “the worst version of a conversation” and said he does not like the current discourse.

Mr. Powell said the discourse is not as healthy as it once was and that engaging in political conversations is “not presently possible.” He said he respects those who jump in. “If I were a political person, I would be talking about it,” he said. “For me, my calling is elsewhere.”

His comments come as other major stars have publicly pulled back. Dwayne Johnson, who endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, told Esquire earlier this year that he has “learned I’m going to keep my politics to myself,” Variety reported. Mr. Johnson told Fox News in 2024 that he regretted the endorsement because he believed it contributed to division.

Mr. Johnson’s stance drew criticism from fellow entertainers. George Takei wrote on Threads that “silence is complicity,” and Wil Wheaton called Mr. Johnson a coward.

Jennifer Lawrence made similar comments last fall in an interview with The New York Times, saying celebrities do not change how people vote and that sharing her opinion risks adding “fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” She added that she tries to express her politics through the films her production company makes.