Sgt. Al Powell is a fictional character in the Die Hard series of films, portrayed by actor Reginald VelJohnson.
Powell is somewhat modeled on the stereotypical image of the Los Angeles Police Department's uniform wearing officers, i.e. he's nearing his mid 40s to 50s, is fond of sugary snacks, such as doughnuts, and twinkees, and is relatively overweight. Powell is a family man, and in his entrance in the first film, is buying twinkies for his...
more
Sgt. Al Powell is a fictional character in the Die Hard series of films, portrayed by actor Reginald VelJohnson.
Powell is somewhat modeled on the stereotypical image of the Los Angeles Police Department's uniform wearing officers, i.e. he's nearing his mid 40s to 50s, is fond of sugary snacks, such as doughnuts, and twinkees, and is relatively overweight. Powell is a family man, and in his entrance in the first film, is buying twinkies for his pregnant wife (whom we never see). Although Powell is a law abiding officer, he doesn't shy away from using his gut instinct, and while his superiors treat McClane with suspicion, and ignore his advice, Powell befriends him and helps him to defeat the terrorists.
Though initially serving no purpose other than to provide moral support to McClane, Powell is revealed to be haunted by the memory of a teenager he mistakenly shot when he was younger. The event traumatized him, and he has been unable to pull his gun since. At the end of the movie,...
less
