Glen Powell Says His Parents ‘Nailed’ Their Cameo in ‘Twisters’: Photo

Glen Powell has a history of casting his parents in his films — and his next high-profile project, Twisters, is no exception. Keeping audiences on their toes by sparking a Where’s Waldo?-type search, the movie star tells Us where you can spot them in this soon-to-be blockbuster.

“They get quite a few frames in this movie!” Powell, 35, exclusively shares in the new issue of Us Weekly. “So they have some good screen time, they have some very good screen time, and they’re in the cowboy hats and the boots and the whole get up. They look great. I mean, they’re from Texas, so they should look very comfortable in that look. They nailed it.”

Powell attempts to get his parents, Cyndy and Glen Powell Sr., involved in just about everything he does. The duo can be spotted in Spy Kids 3, Jack & Bobby, Devotion, Hidden Figures, Everybody Wants Some!!, The Life of David Gale and his 2023 hit romantic comedy, Anyone But You. They return to the big screen for Twisters — in theaters on July 19 — as a couple sitting behind Glen and costar Daisy Edgar-Jones during a rodeo sequence.

In addition to their endless cameos, Cyndy and Glen Sr. make sure they show up to support Glen whenever possible — but that doesn’t stop them from playfully trolling him. At the May premiere of his Netflix film Hit Man, the duo hilariously followed the actor around with huge signs that read, “Stop trying to make Glen Powell happen” and “It’s never gonna happen.”

Glen’s parents have been together for more than 40 years, saying “I do” in November 1984. They welcomed their children, Lauren, Glen and Leslie, in 1986, 1988 and 1992, respectively, and raised them in Austin, Texas, where Glen recently relocated to be closer to his loved ones.

The Top Gun: Maverick star has been open about his love for family over the years, and has often praised his mom and dad for their unwavering support — even when his dreams were ever-changing.

“I think that’s maybe the greatest gift that my parents gave me is never, never making me sit in things I didn’t want to sit in and letting me chase the passions I wanted to chase no matter what,” he told Us. “If I was sitting in the outfield of baseball and I was picking dandelions, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not really sure I’m meant for the outfield here let’s go do something else. Or I played violin for a bit. And all of a sudden I was like, ‘No, not into this anymore.’ And they let me give it up.”

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures
Glen added that his parents “doubled down” after discovering that he “really” loved acting and committed to fostering his passion no matter the challenges.

“When I discovered movies, that’s all I wanted to do. And it didn’t matter the schedule. I would, like, wake up thinking about it and I wake up talking about it. So I just am really grateful for my parents for not trying to deter me from a job that has such a low success rate, which I think a lot of parents do. I think they’re like, ‘Hey, like, don’t do the acting thing because I think this could lead to you being unemployed for the rest of your life.’ [Mine] really just said, ‘Hey man, you’re passionate about this thing. Go chase it if you wanna chase it.’”

One thing Glen will be chasing this summer is tornados with the release of Twisters, which serves as a sequel to the 1996 film. The actor stars as Tyler Owens, a charming but reckless social media superstar who thrives on sharing his storm-chasing adventures. However, when multiple storm systems cover central Oklahoma, he’s forced to team up Edgar-Jones’ Kate Carter as they attempt to fight for their lives.

Getting to carry the torch for an iconic franchise isn’t new for Glen, who landed a starring role in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick opposite Tom Cruise. Now, the actor is following in the legendary footsteps of Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in another franchise he loved as a kid. And he’s more than aware of how “amazing” it truly is to bring it all to life on screen.

“There’s a real sense of freedom and curiosity and fascination that permeates through Twister,” he told Us. “I left the original, like, I just wanted to be in that truck, you know? I just wanted to be on that ride. … So I just really felt so honored to actually be a part of it.”

For more on Glen and his role in Twisters, check out the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands on Wednesday, July 17.

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Twisters hits theaters on Friday, July 19.

With reporting by Andrea Simpson