Glen Powell pushes limits with death-defying stunts in 'The Running Man'

Glen Powell wanted his audience to feel every thrill, fall, and heartbeat in his new movie The Running Man. 

The actor said he performed his own stunts to make sure people got their money’s worth when they bought a theater ticket.

Speaking to The Saturday Guardian, the 37-year-old star explained that he didn’t want fans to leave the cinema knowing the death-defying scenes were just computer effects. 

“It really sells it because if the audience know that you are in peril, there is an inherent investment,” he said. 

“I believe you have to give the audience their value in the ticket. If people are actively going to the theater, getting a babysitter, maybe doing dinner, you’ve got to justify that ticket price.”

Powell said his Top Gun: Maverick co-star Tom Cruise inspired him to always “have skin on the line.” 

In his latest movie, he played Ben Richards, a man forced to survive a deadly game show where contestants are hunted for sport. 

However, the actor performed several dangerous sequences, including “jumping off exploding bridges” and tumbling from rooftops.

Powell revealed that Cruise offered him advice before filming began. “He was literally my first call,” Glen said. 

“I thought I was going to talk to him for 10 minutes. He stayed on the phone for two hours.”

Cruise also warned him about late-night shoots and shared filming tricks. 

Powell said his friend’s guidance helped him capture the raw, authentic energy he wanted the audience to feel while watching his daring stunts on screen.