“Over time, I realized that politics divide people,” Powell said. “People trying to prove their point — for me, it’s the worst version of a conversation. I genuinely do not like the discourse. It’s not as healthy as it once was. Engaging in politics is not presently possible. I applaud people for jumping into those things and fighting for what they believe in. If I were a political person, I would be talking about it. For me, my calling is elsewhere.

Lawrence added that she does not “want to start turning people off to films and to art that could change consciousness or change the world because they don’t like my political opinions.”

She can still get across her political beliefs via her work, such as the movies she’s making at her production company like “Bread and Roses,” which follows three women in Afghanistan amid the effects of the 2021 Taliban offensive, and the abortion documentary “Zurawski v Texas.”

Powell steered clear of political talk, but he did open up about experiencing some of his first box office flops after a string of hits that included “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Anyone But You” and “Twisters.”

His fall 2025 tentpole The Running Man bombed with under $70 million worldwide on a production budget in the $110 million range. According to Powell, drama at Paramount Pictures did not set the Edgar Wright-directed movie up for financial success.

“They let go of an entire marketing department a month before our movie came out in the middle of a merger,” said Powell, referring to to mass layoffs that hit in late October 2025 just weeks before The Running Man opened in theaters.

After “The Running Man” came this winter’s “How to Make a Killing,” an A24-backed dark crime comedy that tapped out with only $21 million worldwide.

“There were a lot of issues with that,” Powell said. “There just was not enough time to do it properly. I look back on that one as an example of going, You know what, there’s no rush.”

Head over to Esquire’s website to read Powell’s cover story.