Glen Powell on Playing Ben Richards in The Running Man
Glen Powell takes on his most ambitious role yet as Ben Richards in Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man, based on the novel by Stephen King. The story follows Ben, a father desperate to find medicine for his ill daughter, who becomes a contestant on a deadly game show where survival becomes the ultimate prize.
Exploring the Character of Ben Richards
During our conversation with Powell, he reflected on how Ben Richards differs from his own personality. Powell found Ben’s honesty and indifference to public opinion particularly compelling.
“Every time you play a character, you take aspects from that character. You say ‘okay, these are things I’ll leave at the door and these are things I’ll take.’ And I love the candor of Ben. I love how he kind of cuts through the bs. He just kind of says what he means,” Powell said.
Contrasting with Real-Life Experience
Powell has previously spoken about dealing with social anxiety and self-doubt, notably in a chat with Jake Shane on the Therapuss podcast. There he shared how overthinking interactions can be draining, something that stands in stark contrast to Ben Richards, who acts without worrying about others’ judgments, caring only for his wife and daughter.
For Powell, portraying Ben offered a liberating experience — a role that allowed him to embody radical honesty and emotional clarity.
Author’s Summary
Glen Powell opens up about the freedom of playing Ben Richards, a character defined by brutal honesty and a fearless disregard for social judgment.