If I had to guess who one of the busiest actors in Hollywood is right now, I’d immediately say Glen Powell. This year alone, we’ve seen the release of How to Make a Killing and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the 2026 movie schedule, and The Great Beyond will come out later this year. He’s also been working on both Season 2 of Chad Powers and Judd Apatow’s new movie, The Comeback King. It always feels like he’s always working, and it’s gotten to the point where people have asked if he’s burnt out. Well, he’s not. In fact, he’s thriving, and he explained why while recalling the advice Denzel Washington gave him.
While Powell has been consistently working for many years, things kicked into high gear after Top Gun: Maverick. Since 2022, he’s been in eight movies (six of which he was a lead), two TV shows and a podcast series. He also has quite the slate of work lined up, with movies directed by J.J. Abrams and Apatow coming down the pipe. So, when he appeared on the Awards Circuit podcast, he talked about how busy he is, saying:
I find that being hardworking is something I really admire in my colleagues and other people. Work ethic's always been something that, especially when you're on a film set and you have all these people kind of investing in something, I love that quality. At the same time, I think people are worried about me, but I'm fine. I'm having a blast.
Admittedly, looking at Powell’s filmography and thinking about the work that goes into it, I’m overwhelmed. However, he’s always handled the workload with grace and a whole lot of enthusiasm.
He also made it clear that the advice he’s received in the past has really helped him. In fact, some advice he got from Denzel Washington has really stuck with him, as he explained:
I heard it from Denzel Washington when I first, you know, he was the guy who convinced me to move out to LA...but he was the guy who basically said, 'Don't look in other lanes.'
In the past, Powell has called these words of wisdom “the truest piece of advice [he’s] ever gotten.” His admiration for Washington has also been well documented. Literally, the Top Gun: Maverick actor has said, “I want to be Denzel Washington.” He’s also been clear that the legendary actor was the one who really pushed him to pursue acting after they worked together on The Great Debaters in 2007.
Well, that advice manifested itself in a very successful career, and these days, Powell is having a blast working on projects he’s both leading and loving, as he explained:
And for me, I'm having the time of my life. I'm getting to act with folks at the highest level, people I've admired for a long time. Like with Chad Powers, getting to co-create a show with one of my great friends and live in a world that I really love – the world of college football- is something that anybody who knows me knows I'm just like a massive fan – and I'm getting to work with this very deep bench of some of the most talented actors in Hollywood. And I'm having a great time. So, I'm not burnt out.
There you have it. While a busy workload like Powell’s could be cause for burnout, the love he has for the work is helping him stay away from that. It also helps that he took Washington’s advice, found his lane, and focused on it.
Clearly, it’s paid off. He’s been working nonstop for a very long time, and he shows no signs of slowing down, with Season 2 of Chad Powers expected to premiere for those with a Hulu subscription on the 2026 TV schedule, and his movie, The Great Beyond, set to hit theaters on November 13.
