Glen Powell thanks Tom Cruise for his 'useful' advise

Glen Powell is set to star in the upcoming Hulu series Chad Powers, a sports comedy inspired by Eli Manning's 2022 ESPN+ sketch.

In the six-episode series, Powell plays Russ Holliday, a disgraced quarterback who disguises himself as Chad Powers to secure a spot on a struggling Southern football team. 

To perfect his role, Powell sought the expertise of none other than his friend and mentor, Tom Cruise.

Powell credits Cruise for guiding him through the prosthetic makeup process, drawing from Cruise's own experience with special effects makeup in the movie "Tropic Thunder."

"Tom was extremely helpful in helping to not go down the wrong path in terms of the prosthetics," Powell told The Hollywood Reporter.

"He was, as is with a lot in my life, he was my first call... He really kind of pointed us in the right direction to make sure he was really gonna work."

The collaboration between Powell and Cruise began during the production of Top Gun: Maverick, where Cruise not only mentored Powell but also provided guidance on selecting the right roles.

In fact, when Powell faced rumours of an on-set romance during the filming of Anyone But You, he leaned on Cruise's advice, saying, "The world's going to become really loud, and it's your decision how much you turn up or down the volume."

Chad Powers is set to premiere on Hulu on September 30, with two episodes dropping initially. New episodes will premiere on Tuesdays for the remaining four weeks.

The series features a talented cast, including Perry Mattfeld, Steve Zahn, and Quentin Plair, and is executive produced by Eli and Peyton Manning, among others.