Glen Powell shares throwback pic with ‘Twister’ star Bill Paxton: ‘His boots are impossible to fill’
Glen Powell is “tipping his hat” to Bill Paxton as the much-anticipated “Twisters” debuts in theaters.
Paxton starred in 1996’s “Twister” as storm chaser Bill Harding, opposite Helen Hunt. In the 2024 sequel “Twisters,” Powell plays an internet famous “tornado wrangler.”
In celebration of the film’s release July 19, Powell paid tribute to Paxton on X, writing that the late actor’s “boots are impossible to fill.”
“As we release ‘Twisters’ into the world today, I just wanted to look up and tip my hat to the legend that is Bill Paxton,” he wrote, along with a photo of himself and Paxton, who died in 2017 at 61 due to complications from a surgery.
“A great friend of mine who saw poetry in the natural world,” Powell continued. “His boots are impossible to fill, but this life is all about chasing the greats.”
Powell and Paxton’s connection extends beyond tornadoes and storm chasing.
In 2013, the two actors co-starred in “Red Wing,” a Western film based on the French novel “François le Champi” by George Sand.
During a July 17 appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the “Anyone But You” star reflected on the experience, sharing that he and Paxton “became really close on that movie.”
He remembered Paxton as being “passionate about the weather” — in true “Twister” fashion.
“He would give, like, weather reports when he was doing ‘Twister,’” Powell recalled. “And he continued that tradition.”
Powell also shared an acting technique he learned from Paxton, which he said he’s used throughout his “entire career since meeting Bill.”
“As an actor, sometimes you have to shoot outdoors, and you’re kind of squinting and whatnot,” he explained. “He taught me this trick that if you close your eyes and you look up at the sun, it warms your eyes up to the sun, and you can open your eyes.
“On ‘Twisters,’ I really felt like every time I closed my eyes, I got to think of Bill, which was great,” Powell added.
In addition to Powell, “Twisters” stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos. The disaster film focuses on storm chaser Kate Cooper (Edgar-Jones) and storm-chasing social media sensation Tyler Owens (Powell), as the duo faces an unprecedented season of storms.
Paxton’s son, James Paxton, also makes an appearance in “Twisters” as an angry hotel guest.
“It’s really a cameo, so it’s an Easter egg for the fans of Dad and the original,” James Paxton told Entertainment Weekly. “I did this one for Dad.
“I wanted to be a conduit of his spirit there and cheer everyone in this production on to success because I know he would be,” he added.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
