Glen Powell on work ethic: 'People are worried about me, but I'm fine'
Synopsis
Glen Powell is one of Hollywood's busiest stars right now — and he knows it. In a candid Variety interview, the Chad Powers actor-producer pushed back on burnout speculation, called his workload a genuine joy, and revealed the one career box he has never ticked: a sitcom. The dream that launched him to LA remains, by his own admission, unfulfilled.
Key Takeaways
Glen Powell , 37 , says people regularly express concern about how hard he works, but he insists he is 'having a blast.' He currently stars in and executive produces Chad Powers , a college football-themed show he co-created with a close friend.
Powell confirmed a planned break is coming but stressed it is not driven by burnout — 'I'm not going to work for the sake of working.' Friends and family visit the Chad Powers set regularly, which he says keeps him from feeling like he is 'missing out on anything.' His original dream on arriving in Los Angeles was to appear in a sitcom — a goal he has yet to achieve, with Friends cited as a key inspiration.
Hollywood actor Glen Powell says fans and well-wishers frequently approach him with concern over his relentless work schedule — but the 37-year-old star insists he is 'having a blast' and is far from burnt out. Speaking to Variety, Powell addressed the growing chatter around how many projects he takes on simultaneously.
What Powell Said About His Work Ethic
'I find that being hard working, it's something I really admire in my colleagues and other people,' Powell told Variety. 'Work ethic is something, 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.'
The Anyone But You actor's comments come amid a notably packed professional stretch, with his current focus squarely on Chad Powers — the college football-themed show he stars in and also executive produces.
Life on the Chad Powers Set
Powell described his experience on Chad Powers as one of genuine creative fulfilment rather than obligation. 'I'm getting to co-create a show with one of my great friends, and live in a world that I really love,' he said. 'The world of college football is something that anybody who knows me knows, I'm a massive fan. I'm getting to work with a very deep bench of some of the most talented actors in Hollywood, and I'm having a great time.'
He added that the production has a personal warmth to it as well — friends and family regularly visit the set, meaning he does not feel disconnected from life outside of work. 'I really don't feel like I'm missing out on anything,' he said.
A Planned Break — But Not Because of Burnout
According to reports, Powell does have a period of rest on the horizon, though he is careful to frame it on his own terms. 'I have this stretch coming up where I'm going to take a bit of a break. But it's not a break because I'm burnt out. I'm not going to work for the sake of working, but I work because of all the things I love, I really do care about,' he explained.
The distinction matters to Powell: the break is a choice, not a concession to exhaustion — a framing consistent with the self-driven work philosophy he has spoken about repeatedly in recent interviews.
The Sitcom Dream He Has Yet to Fulfil
Despite a career that now spans blockbusters, prestige television, and producing credits, Powell revealed there is one format he has always wanted to crack: the sitcom. 'When I first moved out to LA I really wanted to be on sitcoms. I just loved the cast mentality, the live audience thing,' he said, citing Friends as a formative influence.
'That was my big dream when I first moved out to LA, if I could get on a sitcom, that would be the ultimate thing. And I've never done it,' Powell admitted. He remains hopeful, however, that the right opportunity will eventually come his way. Whether Hollywood's current streaming-first landscape leaves room for that ambition remains to be seen.
Point of View
But it is not without substance. The Chad Powers project is genuinely creator-driven, not a studio assignment, which changes the emotional calculus of overwork. What is more revealing is the sitcom admission: it surfaces a gap between the career Powell has built and the one he originally wanted. In an era where streaming has hollowed out the traditional multi-camera format, that dream is harder to fulfil now than it was when he first arrived in LA. The question is whether his current platform is large enough to will one into existence.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people worry about Glen Powell?
Fans and well-wishers reportedly approach Powell with concern that he is taking on too many projects at once. Powell addressed this directly in a Variety interview, saying he understands the worry but is 'having a blast' and does not feel burnt out.
What is Chad Powers?
Chad Powers is a college football-themed television show that Glen Powell stars in and also executive produces. He co-created it with a close friend and has described it as a world he is genuinely passionate about, given his long-standing love of college football.
Is Glen Powell taking a break from acting?
Powell has confirmed a break is planned in the near future, but he was clear it is not a response to burnout. He described it as a deliberate pause rather than a forced one, saying he works because he loves it, not out of obligation.
What is Glen Powell's unfulfilled career dream?
Powell has said his original ambition when he moved to Los Angeles was to appear in a sitcom, citing Friends as a major influence. Despite a successful film and television career, he has never appeared in one and called it his 'big dream' that remains unrealised.
