Glen Powell is undeniably one of Hollywood’s rising stars. Following more than ten years of strong supporting roles in notable works like “Hidden Figures” and the popular TV series “Scream Queens,” Powell’s career skyrocketed in 2022 thanks to his captivating portrayal as the confident pilot Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin in the blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick.” Now a sought-after leading actor, Powell has also earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as a professor masquerading as a hitman in “Hit Man,” a film he co-authored with director Richard Linklater.

Yet, like every award-nominated, gifted movie star, Powell had humble beginnings, and this particular actor began his journey in an unexpected territory: reality television. Back in 2003, Powell participated in “Endurance,” a competitive reality show similar to “Survivor” but with a twist – all the contestants were teenagers. Often overlooked today, “Endurance” aired for six seasons on Discovery Kids and received numerous Daytime Emmy Award nominations.

The show brought together a diverse group of 20 teenagers in a secluded setting, where they had to endure various physical challenges, such as taming unruly burros in the desert or launching balls at their teammates using a catapult. Then just 14 years old, Powell appeared on the second season of “Endurance,” which was filmed in Baja California.

Powell is not the first celebrity to find their footing in reality television, but for many years, he remained silent about his stint on “Endurance.”

“Endurance” faded into the background of Glen Powell’s flourishing career until he addressed it in a 2024 episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” When Colbert presented a screenshot of the youthful – but still distinct – upcoming star, Powell admitted he had avoided discussing his reality show past for a significant reason: He was eliminated in the first episode.

During the premiere of “Endurance” Season 2, Powell stumbled in the “Drop Out” challenge. This trial of focus and strength required participants to stand on a platform while gripping a bar overhead. If they couldn’t maintain their balance, the platform would drop, plunging them into the water below. Powell was the second to fall, candidly sharing in a confession that “I felt like I could hang on for much longer, but my balance thought otherwise.”

“The really sad part is that I wanted to be on the show really bad,” Powell told Colbert while looking back on his time on the show. Luckily for audiences, “Endurance” was not the last time Glen Powell would make a big splash onscreen. The “Top Gun: Maverick” actor is set to star in the 2025 remake of “The Running Man,” playing, ironically enough, a very determined reality show contestant. But this time, no one can doubt his ability to make it to the end.