Situated on the Sunset Strip, just a stone’s throw from the Chateau Marmont, Carney’s Restaurant sees more than its fair share of celebrities. The Los Angeles fast-casual burger joint is used to welcoming stars for a post-premiere hot dog, but rarely do they see the hot dog himself. The morning after the LA premiere of Twisters, however, Brisket Powell sauntered through the door of the renovated train car turned restaurant, still wearing his bow tie from the night before.
The mutt belongs to none other than Glen Powell, Hollywood’s hottie with a heart of gold. His insatiable charm has allowed him to take the leads in everything from action blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick to the Shakespeare-adaptation rom-com Anyone But You, where he always manages electric chemistry with his costars, be it Tom Cruise or Sydney Sweeney. (Though after talking to Powell for 20 minutes, it becomes clear that he could make sparks fly with a brick wall.) Those roles—plus the sheer amount of charisma he exudes on each press tour—earned Powell the title of Hollywood’s heartthrob du jour. But one day last July, Powell was responsible for a swoon felt round the world when he posted a photo of a puppy nestled in the crook of his elbow. “It’s a ruff world out there, so I thought it was about time I hire a proper bodyguard… Meet BRISKET - 1.5 pounds of raw power,” he wrote.
When Powell was filming Twisters in Oklahoma last summer, he was struck by the urge to become a dad. Well, a dog dad. One day, he was scrolling on Instagram when he happened upon a photo of a tiny white puppy with blond markings on the Labelle Foundation’s account. “I remember exactly where I was—in this cafe in Enid, Oklahoma—when I saw a picture of him,” he says. Powell knew that he would go to any lengths necessary to have him. “I was very desperate to get Brisket. I made this video, I called anyone that this adoption place followed on Instagram. I made a very hard, hard push for Brisket, and I flew back to LA mid shoot of Twisters to make sure I got him.” That feeling of urgency hasn’t left Powell—and nearly influenced Brisket’s name. “I really felt the need to be a dog dad when I was in Enid, Oklahoma, so I almost named him Enid,” he says. “But I’m glad I didn’t name him Enid. Brisket is a very fitting name for him.”
Brisket has been growing a steady fan base of his own over the last year that Powell’s had him. (“He is officially verified on Instagram,” Powell’s publicist told Vogue via email.) But he really took off last month, when the actor posted a mirror selfie wearing nothing but a low-slung gray towel and…well…Brisket.
To say that Brisket became an overnight sensation would be an understatement. From there, he catapulted into stardom. He and Powell posed in matching “Best Friends” T-shirts, sat through press junkets together, and took on TikTok trends. Three days after Powell thirst trapped with his pup, Brisket walked the red carpet in his gentlemanly bow tie. He landed his first solo cover (though he’s already guest starred in a couple). As Brisket and Dad show off their tricks at Carney’s, it becomes clear: Powell has found costar for life.
Below, Glen Powell answers Vogue’s Dogue questionnaire.
Vogue: What is Brisket’s best quality?
Glen Powell: Brisket’s best quality, I would say, is his ability to snuggle. If there’s any shape on your body that is remotely cuddle-able, he will figure it out, whether it’s the top of your head, neck, hips, or feet. He is just built for snuggles.
Who would voice your dog in a movie?
I’m going to go Timothée Chalamet. Timothée’s already said yes. He’s definitely in.
Do you use a voice to talk to Brisket?
[In a sing-song voice] Buh-risket! [Higher pitched] Brisket! I dunno how you’d qualify that voice.
What is your dog’s weirdest nickname, and how did you come up with it?
I call him Brisky, but a lot of people call him Brisky Business.
Brisket really is the funniest dog. I feel like he has so many parents. All my friends want to babysit him, and everybody is always sending me pictures hanging with him. They do have a lot of nicknames. I should start writing down all the nicknames that people have for him. But Brisky is what I called him from the beginning, and Brisky Business…I mean, he’s a party so it makes sense.
Where is one place you wish you could take your dog?
I just shot a movie in South Africa, and I didn’t want to subject him to all the stuff that would entail bringing him all the way across the world, so he stayed in Houston with my niece and nephew. I was getting constant updates and we were FaceTiming about how much love he was getting. My nephew, Witt, is just obsessed with him, so they became best friends. He wasn’t short on love while I was in South Africa. I needed the love a lot more than Brisket did, that’s for sure.
I’m super excited—I’m about to go shoot in Atlanta and then London, and he’s coming to all those different sets. It’s really fun having him on that adventure. You’re far away from home, and it’s just nice being able to take on all these adventures with him.
What is the strangest place you’ve ever taken him?
I took him on the Universal Studios Back Lot tour. I got a private tram tour for the [Twisters] cast. I took Brisket, totally forgetting that the tour is, like, Jaws, where there’s pyrotechnics and a giant shark and people are screaming, and then you go to The Fast and the Furious and Vin Diesel’s shooting off guns and they’re screeching cars in the dark. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like such a bad dog dad than bringing Brisket on that tour. Daisy [Edgar-Jones] was next to me, and we were sheltering Brisket’s eyes from all the mayhem and chaos. I felt very, very bad. I should have had the foresight to see that coming.
If you could tell Brisket one thing, what would it be?
Look, I’m a biased dog dad. I have very few lessons to teach that dog, other than, “Hey, if you’re going to poop, just own up to it, man. Don’t hide.” For now, that’s it.
He’s the most well-behaved dog, and people are obsessed with him. I think Brisket and I would actually be very good friends. We’d be even better pals if we could communicate. He doesn’t really bark or anything. It’s not like he feels the need to express himself. I feel like we have that connection. I think we’ve got a good thing going.
What is the most human thing your dog does?
Brisket loves a bath and a shower. Most of the time it’s a team sport in there.
He can’t use a loofah. I just want to be very clear about that. He doesn’t know how to use a loofah, but he’s good with everything else. If I got Brisket to figure out how to loofah me, I mean, that would be something.
What is the most dog thing your dog does?
He loves a yard, he loves grass. He prances—he doesn’t walk. He’s not a manly dog. There’s something very elegant about him. The way he jumps into grass and through grass takes it to a whole other level. I wouldn’t say it’s doglike; it’s more gazelle.
What is his full name? Does he have a middle name?
Wow. Brisket Powell is as far as we’ve gotten, but maybe [a middle name] is something I need to do. I refused to name him until I found the name that really fit. A lot of people were trying to get me to settle on other names.
Astrological sign?
His birthday’s April 10, so that’s when we celebrate, but he came to live with me right around July 4. I think his first day on the Twisters set was on July 4.
Favorite toy?
It’s a Texas Longhorn beer bottle that one of my buddies got me very early on. He’s had a lot of toys come and go, but that toy has stuck around.
Favorite meal?
I’ve tried different stuff, but when I’m eating really well and trying to get in shape, Brisket and I actually eat very similarly: chicken, quinoa, carrots, and sweet potatoes. If I have work coming up, Brisket and I tend to share meals.
He’s going to be a totally ripped little pup. We have gone on workouts. He does like to run, but there’s a point at which he literally stops running. There’s no negotiation—he just sits down and is like, “Yeah, that’s it.”
What would his catchphrase be?
I think he would be like, “Oh, friend!” He’s just super social. He’d be like, “Hey, what’s your name?” sort of vibes. “Hey, I’m Brisket, nice to meet you.” The thirstiest kid on the first day of school freshman year; he’s the runt and desperate to make friends. That’s probably the vibe.
Worst habit?
When he sees kids, he gets super excited. So anywhere from 5 to 10 years old—which I think probably lines up with my niece and nephew—he gets unbelievably excited. So if he’s off leash, that’s a real problem, he’ll run after kids. The only way to get Brisket to listen to you is to run the other direction and say “Bye, Brisket!” because he has—just like every other member of my family—extreme FOMO, so you just have to say “Bye, Brisket!” and run, and he’ll chase you.
What would Brisket say is your worst habit?
Sometimes I hug a pillow when I sleep. I think Brisket gets a little offended by that.
Special thanks to John Wolfe, Jr. and the staff of Carney s on Sunset.
