Austinites are used to seeing celebrities along Congress Avenue during South by Southwest every March, but this week another special film event brought Hollywood glamor to the Paramount Theatre. On Wednesday night, May 15, Netflix hosted the premiere of Hit Man at the historic theatre alongside a special presentation by the Austin Film Society.

Walking the red carpet was Austin’s own Glen Powell, who stars in the film and co-wrote it along with director Richard Linklater. Powell’s parents joined him for the premiere, standing behind him with tongue-in-cheek posters that read “Stop trying to make Glen Powell happen” and “It’s not going to happen.” Cast members Retta, Sanjay Rao, Molly Bernard, Mike Markoff, Beth Bartley, Kate Adair, Richard Robichaux, and Jonas Lerway also walked the red carpet.

As part of the evening’s festivities, Powell was also inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame, which honors significant contributions to the advancement of the Texas film industry. Founded in 2001 by Evan Smith and Louis Black, the annual award ceremony spotlights both veterans of Hollywood and rising stars alike. Powell seems to sit at the intersection of both: He’s starred in TV and film roles since 2012, but has seen a meteoric rise since appearing in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Anyone But You (2023).

The induction ceremony included remarks from director Robert Rodriguez, who will receive his own recognition at the Paramount later this month with a star under the historic theatre’s marquee.

“I had the incredible honor of casting Glen in his first movie,” said Rodriguez, recounting his first interaction with Powell as a local hire alongside Hollywood stars like Sylvester Stalone on the set of Spy Kids 3. “I was so impressed by him and astounded that he was a local hire, so I talked to him ... and asked him what his goals were. And he was very clear that acting was something he wanted to pursue all the way ... That was over 20 years ago, but he was clearly ready to conquer the world. And he has.”

Turning to the film of the night, Rodriguez continued: “In Hit Man, [Powell] manages to showcase his entire range, which is truly what solidifies him as Hollywood’s most sought after leading man.”

The film follows straight-laced professor Gary Johnson, who discovers his hidden talent as a fake hit man for the New Orleans Police Department. Johnson meets his match in a client who steals his heart, setting off an existential comedy about mixed-up identities and deception. The story is inspired by true events in a Texas Monthly article from writer Skip Hollandsworth, who also attended the premiere.

Releasing in select theaters on May 24, the film will be available to stream on Netflix starting on June 7.