Glen Powell Recalls GLEE Audition with Chord Overstreet
The actors competed for the role of Sam Evans, which ultimately went to Overstreet.
By: Josh Sharpe Sep. 25, 2025
Glee could have been a lot different. In a recent episode of Therapuss, actor Glen Powell recalled auditioning for the hit musical series from Ryan Murphy, which ran from 2009 to 2015. He competed for the role of Sam Evans alongside his friend Chord Overstreet.
"We were both in the waiting room at the same time because we were buddies. We met in acting class... And then we were down to the wire on Sam Evans, and he got it," shared Powell. "But like, he's still one of my best friends. And we were about to be roommates, so we moved in together as he went on this crazy Glee ride, which was kind of wild [for] one of your best friends in the world to... go through that thing." Overstreet went on to play the role of Sam in over 90 episodes during the show's six-season run, also appearing in the 2011 film Glee: The 3D Concert Movie.
Though Powell didn't nab the coveted Glee role, the actor has a background in musical theater, performing in productions of The Sound of Music, Oliver!, and The Music Man at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas. On a visit to The View, he told the hosts that he would "definitely" be interested in performing on Broadway in the future.
In 2023, Powell shared that he and Ryan Murphy were teaming up on a musical project: "Ryan Murphy and I, we’re actually making a musical together. We don’t really have any plans to be back in the television world together, but we’ll be on Broadway together," the actor said at the time. Powell previously worked with Murphy on the TV series Scream Queens.
Glen Powell was most recently seen in the 2024 blockbuster Twister, a sequel to the 1996 disaster movie. Other credits include the acclaimed romantic comedy Anyone but You, Hidden Figures, Top Gun: Maverick, and Hit Man. His next film appearance is The Running Man, an adaptation of the short story by Stephen King, which hits theaters in November.
About Glee:
Glee followed a group of ambitious and talented young adults in search of strength, acceptance and, ultimately, their voice. The series starred Lea Michele as Rachel Berry, Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester, and Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson.
The show received prestigious honors, including a Golden Globe Award and a Peabody Award, along with two Grammy Award nominations, two Platinum and five Gold albums, more than 53 million songs and more than 13 million albums sold worldwide, two sold-out concert tours, a 3-D movie, four Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes, including the award for Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical.
Among the guest stars who appeared on the show were Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shirley MacLaine, John Stamos, Kristin Chenoweth, Olivia Newton-John, Britney Spears, Neil Patrick Harris, Peter Facinelli, June Squibb, Demi Lovato, and Adam Lambert.
Glen Powell Photo Credit: Phil Faraone
Chord Overstreet Photo Credit: BEIMages/Jim Smeal
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