Twisters, the apocalyptic standalone inspired by its namesake 1996 film, was a sweeping success at the box office after its release last Friday. Powell is nothing like his character, Tyler Owens, a rogue and wild YouTuber who goes by the name Tornado Wrangler. However, a story from the actor’s childhood made it into the film and fits the character perfectly!
Glen Powell’s real childhood story is in Twisters
When the Ownens and Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) are paired together for an operation to tame the storm, the duo takes time to warm up to each other, considering their polar opposite personalities—Owen, a raging YouTuber, and Kate, a sincere scientist.
When his cool guy attitude and fan following made her believe he was in the business for fame, he shared a childhood story about how he got interested in chasing storms. Owen revealed that he had a very dangerous encounter with a tornado while with his aunt as a kid.
In a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Anyone But You actor revealed that he had shared a similar experience with his aunt when the tornado hit Jarrell, Texas, in May 1997. Although Powell and his family survived the deadly storms, it swept away 27 people, making it one of the deadliest tornado events in Texas’ history.
Why was Powell’s story a perfect fit for his character?
Although it was a traumatic experience for the actor, the story was effective in explaining Tyler’s need to “wrangle” tornadoes later in life. Powell still recalls “looking at my aunt for guidance on how to feel,” which his character also mentions. It was a missing puzzle piece that fit perfectly into the story and nuanced Owen’s character.
Interestingly, director Lee Isaac Chung experienced tornados while growing up in Arkansas, making him the perfect fit to direct the apocalyptic film. According to the official synopsis, the story is about “A retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies.”
Twisters is currently in theaters.
