Glen Powell is embracing comparisons to the late Robin Williams as his new Hulu series Chad Powers continues to spark the conversation ahead of release.
The actor spoke about the buzz while attending the 2026 Golden Globes in Beverly Hills on Sunday, January 11, and made it clear that he sees the comparison as an honor rather than a pressure.
Powell, 37, co-stars Chad Powers as Russ Holliday, a former star quarterback whose career collapses after a costly mistake during a national championship.
Years later, Holliday attempts a comeback by disguising himself as “Chad Powers” to join the struggling South Georgia Catfish football team.
The transformation involves heavy prosthetics, a creative choice that has led many viewers to draw parallels to Robin Williams’ iconic performance in Mrs. Doubtfire.
Speaking on the red carpet, Powell acknowledged the comparisons while expressing deep admiration for the legendary actor.
“Robin Williams was one of the greats,” Powell said.
“He really made movies that were funny in terms of the joy they gave people, but they also had a lot of heart. He figured out that duality.”
The comment reflected Powell’s appreciation of Williams’ ability to balance comedy with emotional depth, something audiences see echoed in Chad Powers.
Williams famously portrayed a divorced father masquerading as a Scottish housekeeper in the film Mrs. Doubtfire from 1993.
He died by suicide at the age of 63 on August 11, 2014 at his Paradise Cay mansion in San Francisco after battling an undiagnosed case of Lewy Body Dementia, a debilitating brain disease.
While Chad Powers is fictional, the character has real roots.
Former professional football player Eli Manning originally created Chad Powers during a 2022 episode of ESPN’s Eli’s Places.
In the viral segment, Manning underwent professional hair and makeup to disguise himself as a walk-on quarterback at Penn State.
Powell later explained how the show expanded on that idea, telling Good morning America“We took that concept and that inspiration and doubled down on the prosthetic, updated it, improved it, new model, new Chad, and we’re putting on one heck of a show here.”
As anticipation grows, Powell’s reaction suggests he understands why the comparisons exist, and why being mentioned alongside Robin Williams is something to be grateful for, not shy away from.
