- Live Game Finale: The finale of Hulu’s “Chad Powers” was filmed during the halftime of a sold-out University of Georgia football game.
- Hostile Crowd: Star Glen Powell was booed by 92,000 fans as part of the scene, an experience he found incredibly motivating.
- High-Stakes Production: Co-creator Michael Waldron, in his directorial debut, had a mere six-minute window to capture the crucial sequence on the field.
- Season 2 Teased: Powell and Waldron have already discussed plans for a potential second season, which might involve Powell’s beloved University of Texas Longhorns.
A Finale Unlike Any Other
In a move that blurred the lines between fiction and reality, the team behind the Hulu comedy “Chad Powers” took an unprecedented risk for their season finale. Co-creators Glen Powell and Michael Waldron decided to shoot the show’s climactic scene during halftime of a live University of Georgia football game, in front of a roaring crowd of 92,000 fans.
The Roar of the Crowd
The scene required the massive crowd at Sanford Stadium to boo Powell’s character as his fictional team, the South Georgia Catfish, ran onto the field. The result was an electric atmosphere that even the seasoned actor found staggering.
“To literally have an entire stadium booing you, I got off the field and I told Waldron, ‘I don’t know if I’ve ever been so ready to run through a wall in my life,’” Powell recalled. “That was crazy!”
For Waldron, who was making his directorial debut with the episode, the challenge was immense. The crew, disguised as coaches on the sideline, had just six minutes to execute the complex shot. “This was my directorial debut, and I thought, ‘Well, let’s make it easy,’” Waldron joked. “We wanted to end it with a bang… I believed in my team of like-minded psychopaths to pull it off.”
From Viral Sketch to Hit Series
The series itself is an expansion of a viral sketch where NFL legend Eli Manning went undercover as the goofy, yet talented, “Chad Powers” at Penn State tryouts. Powell and Waldron, who bonded over their deep love for college football, jumped at the chance to develop the idea into a full series with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.
The Man Behind the Mask
The show follows disgraced quarterback Russ Holliday (Powell), who dons a prosthetic mask and wig to get a second chance at glory. “We got really excited as we explored the idea of a broken guy who had been a jerk and had made a mistake,” Waldron explained. “If, by wearing a mask and playing a better person, that he could accidentally become a good guy.”
What’s Next for Chad Powers?
With the first season ending on a cliffhanger, fans are eager for more. The creators have confirmed they have ideas ready for a second season, though a renewal from Hulu is still pending. The friendly rivalry between Waldron, a die-hard Georgia Bulldogs fan, and Powell, a fervent supporter of the Texas Longhorns, is set to continue.
“It’s a make-or-break thing for me that the University of Texas be included,” Powell stated. Waldron confirmed the hint, adding, “On my Season 2 whiteboard, on one of the episode blocks, I just have ‘Texas’ written.”