Glen Powell Shot Himself in Foot by Refusing to Name 'Toxic' Actor He Refused to Take Picture With — Sparking Hollywood Witch Hunt for Star and Cowardice Accusations

Glen Powell has ignited a storm of speculation after refusing to identify the "toxic" star he avoided being photographed with at a Hollywood party – a silence insiders say has triggered an online witch-hunt now engulfing divisive figures from Mel Gibson to Kevin Spacey.

Powell's comments, made on the "Therapuss" podcast, were intended as a cautionary tale about navigating public life.

Instead, they have become the center of a social media frenzy, prompting fans to comb through lists of controversial actors and accuse the Twisters star of cowardice for declining to name the person involved.

The reaction comes as Powell promotes Hulu's upcoming sports comedy Chad Powers and his action remake The Running Man – while Hollywood commentators warn the furore risks shifting attention away from the projects.

During his interview with "Therapuss" host Jake Shane, Powell recalled arriving at what he described as "one of those Hollywood parties" and being approached by a once-celebrated actor whose public reputation had recently collapsed. Although Powell initially greeted him warmly, the mood changed once photographers moved in.

"This person was recently canceled, and it was not good," Powell said. "I was a fan of their work but not a fan of their choices. So, I was kind of just being nice. But then, when they wanted to take a picture, I realized very quickly – I was like, "Oh, I don't know if this is a good idea."'

Powell said the unnamed actor sensed his hesitation.

"I realized, this guy, his face is toxic," he told Shane. "Going out into the world, people are having a visceral reaction to this person in terms of the bad choice they've made."

Online, Powell's refusal to identify the star has only stoked speculation. Social media users have suggested names ranging from Gibson, 69 – whose career was derailed by widely reported antisemitic rants and allegations of abusive behavior – to Spacey, 66, who faced multiple sexual misconduct accusations, which he denied, and later endured a series of court cases. Neither actor has been linked to Powell's story, but users have circulated their names regardless, claiming the lack of clarity invites the speculation.

One industry source said: "By not naming the person, Glen created a vacuum, and the internet will always fill a vacuum with the worst possible guesses."

Another added: "People online think he's protecting someone powerful, and they're calling him spineless for dancing around it."

Other insiders warn Powell may have unintentionally complicated his position in the industry.

A studio executive familiar with the situation said: "There's chatter that movie bosses don't like ambiguity like this. If you're going to hint at something, you'd better be ready to stand behind it."

Another source echoed the sentiment, saying: "This kind of half-story can make people nervous. No one wants to get pulled into someone else's mystery scandal."

Powell, meanwhile, contrasted the unnamed actor's downfall with his Chad Powers character Russ Holliday. "Russ Holliday is a guy that just made a mistake, right? He's not a bad guy," he said. "Some of these other people that get canceled… they should lie where they're shot."

He added the pressure of cancelation culture remains intense. Powell said: "In today's day and age, there's a lot of, like, the cancel culture is just sort of a thing in, like, how the world doesn't really let you forget your mistakes."

He added his showbiz mission remains simple: "To be a part of things that are actually entertaining people."