Glen Powell reveals how he landed Johnny Depp's surprise Chad Powers cameo after sending the actor a simple email. The Glen Powell Reveals How Johnny Depp Approved His Surprise Chad Powers Cameo first appeared on The Blast

Chad Powers Season 2 featured a surprise cameo from Johnny Depp, and actor Glen Powell has now revealed how it came together.

Powell plays the lead role of quarterback Russ Holliday in the comedy series. After falling from grace in high-level football, Holliday goes undercover in an attempt to get a second chance with a struggling college team and revive his career.

The Actor Sent Johnny Depp An Email

When fans sat down to watch the second-season finale of Chad Powers, few probably expected to see Johnny Depp appear.

During the scene, Russ hides out in an abandoned cinema while meeting with a friend who is secretly preparing to betray him. The projector initially shows nothing but a blank screen before footage of Depp from Edward Scissorhands suddenly appears.

Using Depp’s character in this way would have required clearance from the Pirates of the Caribbean star, which Powell confirmed was the case.

“I have to give a shout out to Johnny Depp for giving us the rights. Johnny had to give us the OK, so I sent him an email, and he did,” he said in an interview with Gold Derby.

What Chad Powers Is About

In “Chad Powers,” Powell plays the lead role of Holliday, whose shot at a national title and professional career went down the drain because of his ego. Nearly a decade later, he tries to get a second chance by trying out for a struggling college team.

He uses prosthetics to disguise himself and goes undercover at the walk-on tryouts, eventually making the team as Chad Powers. However, he now has to tell more lies to hide his identity, which makes many people suspicious of him.

At the same time, he tries to make up for his past mistakes and use his second chance to better himself and his new team.

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The Series Was Inspired By Real-Life Events

One of the many questions that came up after the series debuted in September 2025 was whether it was based on something real.

Powell addressed the question during a Good Morning America interview that same month, revealing that the series was linked to former professional football player Eli Manning, who once went undercover to try out as a walk-on quarterback for Penn State.

“We took that concept and that inspiration and have doubled down on the prosthetics, updated it, improved it, new model, new Chad, and we’re making a hell of a show here,” Powell said during the sit-down about the show.

Glen Powell Credited Eli And Peyton Manning For Their Involvement In Chad Powers

At the time, Powell also confirmed that Manning and his brother, Peyton, were deeply involved in the behind-the-scenes work on the series.

“One of the coolest things about the Manning boys is that they are extremely involved,” Powell shared.

Their involvement helped make the football scenes feel fully legit, and Manning’s input as a football player was especially helpful.

“What makes this show different is we wanted this thing to be funny and heartfelt but to have the football be legit,” Powell added. “You know what a real quarterback looks like and when it doesn’t, so the fact that I have these guys as my coach, it’s a nice little lifesaver.”

Powell Revealed The Stakes Were Higher For His Character In Season 2

Speaking about the new season ahead of its September 3 debut, Powell told ABC News that the stakes were even higher.

“That’s the fun and dance of this season is that there’s a give and take,” Powell shared at the time. “There’s kind of a pressure-release valve when you are sharing a secret with somebody—you’re not in on it alone.”

Indeed, that proved to be the case, as the finale hooked fans so much that many began asking when the third season would debut.

The Glen Powell Reveals How Johnny Depp Approved His Surprise Chad Powers Cameo first appeared on The Blast