Glen Powell recounts awkward run-in with 'toxic' canceled star at party, sparking online guesses

Glen Powell says he was caught off guard when a recently canceled celebrity approached him at a Hollywood party, describing the moment as awkward and noting that the star’s public reception had become toxic among fans.

"I showed up to the party and there was somebody that had been on the ropes in terms of getting canceled," Powell, 36, shared. "This person had made some of my favorite movies and I was like, 'Oh, this is great.' He came up and he said, 'Nice to meet you.' I was like, 'Oh, dude. Such a big fan.'"

Powell recounted that the mood shifted when a photographer asked them to pose together. "This person was recently canceled and it was not good. I was a fan of their work but not a fan of their choices," Powell explained. "So, I was kind of just being nice. But then, when they wanted to take a picture with you, I realized very quickly — I was like, 'Ooh, I don't know if this is a good idea.'"

According to Powell, the actor "clearly clocked" his hesitation. "I realized, this guy, his face is toxic," he said. "Going out into the world, people are having a visceral reaction to this person in terms of the bad choice they've made." Powell then drew a comparison to Russ Holliday, the football star he plays in Chad Powers, who gets canceled and disguises himself to join another team. "Russ Holliday is just a guy that made a mistake. He's not a bad guy. Some of these other people that get canceled, they should lie where they're shot," he claimed.

While Powell kept the celebrity’s name under wraps, fans have already launched a guessing game online. Among the names being tossed around: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Chris Pratt, Ezra Miller, Will Smith and Russell Brand. The Top Gun: Maverick star has yet to respond to the speculation.

Powell's appearance on the Therapuss episode comes as he promotes Chad Powers, a Hulu comedy series set to debut Sept. 30. The show follows a football player named Russ Holliday who, after a major mistake in college, tries to resurrect his dreams by disguising himself as Chad Powers. The project marks Powell’s latest foray into action and comedy after top-grossing roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters.

Powell also touched on his early years in Austin, Texas, noting that he moved to Los Angeles in 2008 with few resources. He recalled getting his break when Jimmy Kimmel and his producer Diane Kelson let him into a snack-filled green room when he could not afford groceries. "So when you can't afford snacks or alcohol, I could always come to the Jimmy Kimmel show and have my feast," Powell said. He has since appeared in Hidden Figures, Everybody Wants Some!! and The Dark Knight Rises, among other credits, and he stars in Chad Powers, which is set to debut on Hulu.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Powell's representatives, but there was no immediate comment.