Glen Powell discusses his strategy for dealing with a prolonged struggle in the entertainment industry: 'I had to deceive myself.'

For years, Glen Powell faced challenges as he pursued his acting career, but eventually achieved success.

Despite facing numerous challenges, Powell has established himself as one of Hollywood's most successful actors over the past few years.

In a Vanity Fair interview, he openly discussed the challenging journey he faced while trying to establish himself in the entertainment industry.

"Being in Hollywood as a struggling actor with nothing happening is the hardest place to live," Powell admitted.

The currency of that town is based on your relevance and previous job, making you acutely self-conscious.

"People often become trapped in a monotonous routine, without considering the reasons behind their actions. They simply remain at the table without any purpose other than to continue spinning the roulette wheel."

In 2003, Powell made his film debut in "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over," while in his senior year of high school, he landed a role in Denzel Washington's 2007 movie "The Great Debaters."

Washington introduced Powell to his agent Ed Limato after being impressed by Powell's talent. In May, Powell revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he was in his freshman year at the University of Texas at Austin when Limato contacted him about attending "The Great Debaters" premiere in LA.

Powell remembered that he met with Washington and Limato, who convinced him to relocate to Hollywood.

Powell, after moving from Austin to LA, struggled to secure acting roles and faced long periods of inactivity. Despite these challenges, he persevered and managed to maintain his determination to achieve his goals. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Powell shared how he overcame difficult times by convincing himself not to give up on his dreams.

Powell stated, "Even during the bleakest times in that town, when I had nothing going on, I had to tell myself a small lie and pretend that this was the part of the story where things weren't working out as planned."

"Believe in the Hollywood legends of those people you admire, the ones you're chasing, who faced long periods of famine as well," he said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn about writing. I had to work in various jobs to understand how to finance and produce things. I've gained insight into a crucial aspect of this business that's benefiting me now."

Powell, who recently starred in and produced the action comedy "Hit Man," revealed to Vanity Fair that he learned to be proactive during his early years in the business.

He stated that he would randomly approach individuals and attempt to gather funds to turn their shorts into features or search for materials and pitch people for small roles in projects. In Los Angeles, he emphasized that the struggle to be a part of the experiment is the norm, with people often underestimating the difficulty of auditioning. He countered this by asserting that auditioning is a privilege.

""Paying for acting class and improving one's skills are things that are often overlooked," Powell stated."

"Hollywood auditions can feel like being at a party. You've made it past the velvet rope, but you may not be able to afford a drink. However, most of the time, you're outside the velvet rope, and the bouncer won't even let you near it."

Up-and-coming actors now face greater challenges due to changes in the industry, according to Powell, who supported himself for many years through small movie roles and TV guest appearances.

"When I was starting out, the business supported struggling actors more than it does now," he said. "I used to do an episode of ‘NCIS’ to stay afloat for a year."

During that time, Powell managed to stay afloat by living frugally.

"I don't have a lot of expenses," he stated. "You're not living a luxurious lifestyle. You're hiding a flask in your boot when you go out for a drink. You may not be able to afford anything significant in that town, but you're able to stay there. Those small jobs, like getting a commercial, help keep life afloat."

In 2014, the actor's circumstances improved when he landed the role of hacker Thorn in "The Expendables 3" and became a main cast member in "Scream Queens's" first season, returning on a recurring basis in the second season.

In 2016, Powell was part of the ensemble cast in Richard Linklater's movie "Everybody Wants Some!!", and the two reunited for "Hit Man," directed by an Oscar-nominated filmmaker.

In 2018, he landed his first leading role in the Netflix romantic comedy "Set It Up" alongside Zoey Deutch. Later, he portrayed Lt. Jake 'Hangman' Seresin in the eagerly-awaited "Top Gun: Maverick," starring Tom Cruise.

The release of "Top Gun: Maverick" was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which time Powell revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he almost went bankrupt.

In May 2022, "Top Gun: Maverick" was a massive hit at the box office, and Powell achieved new heights in his career with the surprise success of his next project, the 2023 Netflix romantic comedy "Anyone But You," in which he starred opposite Sydney Sweeney.

In the recent past, Powell was the lead actor in the successful film "Twisters," which grossed $371 million worldwide.

During an interview with Vanity Fair, Powell pondered about remaining true to himself amidst the pressures of fame.

"I've been unsuccessful for a longer period of time than I've been successful," he stated. "I've had the opportunity to observe others in their attempts. And what I discovered is that the pitfall is attempting to conform to a specific mold, which results in inauthenticity."