Glen Powell couldn’t have ketchup for years after a “gross” childhood experience. The 36-year-old actor always used to love the condiment as a kid and “put ketchup on everything”, but a sleepover “outside on the trampoline” with friends changed everything for him.
Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star recalled how his friend’s sister - who was having her own sleepover with friends on the same night - decided to prank the boys.
© Han Myung-GuHe said: “The girls came out and threw ketchup all over us while we were sleeping. So I woke up, and the ketchup had baked in the Texas sun."
I was so grossed out that I jumped into the pool but couldn’t have ketchup after that.” Glen was only able to rediscover his love for ketchup through his new Smash Kitchen brand, and things have “come full circle”.
He said: “The fun part about this process for me as a guy who used to be obsessed with ketchup — I’m now making my own ketchup. I’m obsessed with ketchup again. So it makes me very happy to have come full circle from ruining a joy of my life to now creating my own.”
© Amanda EdwardsHis line of condiments officially launched on on April 2nd and includes ketchup, mayo and mustard, plus Hot Honey BBQ and Hot Honey Ketchup.
Family dinners have inspired him in Texas over the years, and food has been a big part of his family connecting, as they were always “messing around and experimenting in the kitchen”. He added: “We were always like, ‘We should bottle this.’ Everybody’s like, ‘This is the best thing we’ve ever had.’”
In May last year, Glen opened up about his decision to leave Los Angeles and return to his home city of Austin, Texas, after getting advice from fellow Texan Matthew McConaughey.
© SERGIO FLORESHe told The Hollywood Reporter that the major benefit of “getting to this point in Hollywood is that I can now leave Hollywood.” He added: “It’s like I’ve earned the ability to go back to my family...
“[Matthew was] like, ‘Hollywood is the Matrix, man. You plug in, and it’s all fake world.’ He’s like, ‘Then I go to Austin, and I unplug. It’s all real. Those are my friends, that’s my family, my actions matter there.’
© Presley Ann“And he’s right. If you’re here, you live in the Matrix all the time, there’s no separation of those worlds. And for me, especially as my parents get older and my niece and nephew are growing up, I want a separation of those worlds.”
