Will Poulter
Will Poulter | |
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![]() Poulter at the Paris premiere of The Revenant in 2016 | |
Born | William Jack Poulter 28 January 1993 Hammersmith, London, England |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2007–present |
William Jack Poulter (born 28 January 1993) is a British actor. He first gained recognition for his role as Eustace Scrubb in the fantasy adventure film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). Poulter received further praise for his starring role in the comedy film We're the Millers (2013), for which he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award.[1]
Poulter also starred in the science fiction film The Maze Runner (2014) and the sequel Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018), the period epic film The Revenant (2015) in which he portrayed legendary frontiersman Jim Bridger as a young man, the crime drama film Detroit (2017), the interactive science fiction film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018), and the folk horror film Midsommar (2019). In 2021, he had a recurring role in the Hulu miniseries Dopesick. Poulter will star as Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Early life[edit]
Poulter was born in Hammersmith, London, England, the son of Neil Poulter, a distinguished physician and Professor of Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine at Imperial College London,[2] and Caroline (née Barrah), a former nurse who was brought up in Kenya.[3][4] He was a pupil at Harrodian School, whose well-known acting graduates also include George MacKay, Robert Pattinson, and Jack Whitehall.[5] However, he struggled in school due to dyslexia and developmental coordination disorder, telling The Independent in 2013, "It felt like it didn't matter how hard I tried, I wasn't getting anywhere. That's the most demoralising thing, as a kid. And to find something like drama, which I loved so much... it gave me a sense of purpose." Poulter is an avid supporter of Arsenal F.C.[6]
Career[edit]
2007–2012: Early work[edit]
Poulter played various acting roles before landing the role of Lee Carter in the 2007 movie Son of Rambow, which was released to positive reviews and praise for the performances of Poulter and his co-star Bill Milner. He also performed with other young comedic actors in School of Comedy,[7] which aired its pilot on Channel 4's Comedy Lab on 21 August 2008. School of Comedy was then commissioned for a full series by Channel 4,[8] which began airing on 2 October 2009. The programme finished after a second series.
In 2009, he was selected to play the role of Eustace Scrubb in the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (filmed in Queensland, Australia), and was accompanied by some members of his family.[9][10] The movie was first screened on 10 December 2010. The film opened to mixed reviews, but Poulter's performance was well received.[citation needed]
In 2010, he appeared in the BBC Three pilot The Fades, a 60-minute supernatural thriller written by Skins writer Jack Thorne. The pilot was picked up as a six-part series with an almost entirely new cast, which aired in 2011.[11][12]
Poulter began filming a small British independent film called Wild Bill, directed by Dexter Fletcher, at the end of 2010.[13] The film was released on 23 March 2012 to extremely positive reviews, with praise for Poulter's performance.[14][better source needed] In 2011, Poulter appeared with his School of Comedy co-star and popular British blogger, Jack Harries, on his YouTube channel JacksGap, in a video called Jack and Will.[citation needed] In 2012, Poulter began studying drama at the University of Bristol where he lived in Badock Hall, however dropped out after a year in order to pursue acting full time.[15]
2013–present: Mainstream recognition and further work[edit]
![](http://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20220415192951im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Will_Poulter_2013.jpg/220px-Will_Poulter_2013.jpg)
In 2013, he played Kenny in We're the Millers, starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis. While the film opened to mixed reviews, the performances of the cast were well received, especially that of Poulter,[citation needed] who found mainstream recognition with his showy, comedic work in the film. He also appeared as a caretaker in the music video for Rizzle Kicks' song "Skip to the Good Bit".[citation needed] Though he loved the script and auditioned for the role of Augustus Waters, he was denied the part in The Fault in Our Stars.[16]
In 2014, he played Fordy in the crime film Plastic, directed by Julian Gilbey and starring Ed Speleers, Alfie Allen, Sebastian De Souza and Emma Rigby. The film was critically panned on release. The same year, he played Gally in the film adaptation of The Maze Runner, alongside Dylan O'Brien and Kaya Scodelario. The film was a critical and commercial success, with the performances of the cast being praised. Poulter went on to describe the film, and his role in it, as "a turning point" in his career.[16]
In 2015, Poulter starred as Shane in the Irish indie film Glassland, directed by Gerard Barrett and co-starring Jack Reynor and Toni Collette.
In 2014, Poulter won the BAFTA Rising Star Award, voted for by the public.[17][18] The same year, he also won the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (shared with his co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Emma Roberts) for his performance in We're the Millers.[19]
In 2014, Poulter was chosen as one of 23 upcoming actors to feature in July's issue of Vanity Fair, with all actors being named "Hollywood's Next Wave".[20]
Poulter played Jim Bridger in the revenge-thriller The Revenant (2015), directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. The film centres on an 1820s frontiersman on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling.[21] In 2017, he played the racist police officer Philip Krauss in the film Detroit, about the 1967 Detroit riots. His work in the film was praised with one critic calling him "terrifyingly confident".[22]
Poulter was initially cast as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 2017 adaptation of the Stephen King novel It. However, it was announced in June 2016 that Bill Skarsgård had been cast instead because Poulter dropped out due both to scheduling conflicts (the film was set to shoot at the same time as Poulter was set to begin work on Detroit) as well as the departure of its initial director, Cary Fukunaga.[23]
In 2018, Poulter reprised his role as Gally in Maze Runner: The Death Cure, the third and final installment of the Maze Runner film series. Later that year, he starred in the film The Little Stranger as Roderick "Roddy" Ayres, a facially disfigured, haunted war veteran; and as game developer Colin Ritman in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, a standalone interactive film of the Black Mirror television series.[24] In 2019, he played the character of Mark in Ari Aster's horror film Midsommar. In 2020, he participated in filming The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope, an interactive choice game created by Supermassive Games, in which he portrays Andrew, Anthony and Abraham.
In October 2021, Poulter was cast in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Adam Warlock, set to be released on 5 May 2023.[25]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Son of Rambow | Lee Carter | |
2010 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Eustace Scrubb | |
2012 | Wild Bill | Dean | |
2013 | We're the Millers | Kenny Rossmore / Kenny Miller | |
2014 | Plastic | Fordy | |
The Maze Runner | Gally | ||
A Plea For Grimsby | Jone | Short film | |
Glassland | Shane | ||
2015 | The Revenant | Jim Bridger | |
2016 | Kids in Love | Jack | |
2017 | War Machine | Sgt. Rick Ortega | |
Detroit | Philip Krauss | ||
2018 | Maze Runner: The Death Cure | Gally | |
The Little Stranger | Roderick "Roddy" Ayres | ||
2019 | Bainne | Irish farmer | Short film |
Midsommar | Mark | ||
2021 | The Score | Troy | |
2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Adam Warlock | Filming |
Series[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Comedy: Shuffle | Find Your Folks Presenter | 2 episodes |
2008 | Comedy Lab | Various | Episode: "Kids School of Comedy" |
Lead Balloon | Sweet Throwing Boy | Episode: "Nuts" | |
2009–2010 | School of Comedy | Various characters | 8 episodes; also writer |
2010 | The Fades | Mac | Episode: "Pilot" |
2018 | Black Mirror: Bandersnatch | Colin Ritman | Stand alone interactive film from TV series Black Mirror |
2021 | The Underground Railroad | Sam | Episode: "Chapter 2: South Carolina" |
2021 | Dopesick | Billy Cutler | Miniseries |
2022 | Why Didn't They Ask Evans? | Bobby Jones | Upcoming miniseries[26] |
Video games[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope | Andrew, Anthony and Abraham[27] | Voice and motion capture |
Awards and nominations[edit]
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (August 2019) |
References[edit]
- ^ "Bafta Film Awards 2014: Full list of winners" Archived 15 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. BBC. 16 February 2014.
- ^ "Professor Neil Poutler". Imperial College London. Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Williams, Sally (22 March 2008). "Son of Rambow: ready for action". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ "Will Poulter". Flaunt Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ Gilbey, Ryan (25 September 2018). "Will Poulter: 'I'm a white, straight, middle-class male. I'm aware I take things for granted'". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ "Premier League predictions: Lawro v Detroit actor Will Poulter". BBC Sport. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- ^ Lee, Robin (16 August 2007). "School of Comedy". The List. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ "Comedy Lab: Comedy Lab". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- ^ Will Poulter Cast as Eustace Scrubb Archived 13 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine at www.narniaweb.com (accessed 22 June 2008)
- ^ Will Poulter Cast in Narnia 3 Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine at www.comingsoon.net (accessed 22 June 2008
- ^ "ScreenTerrier: The Fades". Screenterrier.blogspot.com. 5 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
- ^ Sibayan, Genevieve. "Touch – A new supernatural drama series for BBC3 {TV}". Frost Magazine. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
- ^ "Narnia stars switch on London's Christmas lights!". The Hollywood News. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
- ^ "Approximate Release Date for Wild Bill – The Unofficial Will Poulter Fansite". Willpoulterfans.webs.com. 25 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 November 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
- ^ Lamont, Tom (6 October 2014). "Will Poulter: 'Hanging out in Soho House LA, that's my worst nightmare'". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ a b Peele, Anna (20 December 2017). "Detroit's Will Poulter Talks Making Out with Jennifer Aniston and Being Miserable with Leonardo DiCaprio". GQ. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Bafta Film Awards 2014: Full list of winners". BBC News. 16 February 2014. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon; Harris, Jamie (8 January 2014). "BAFTA Film Awards 2014 – nominations in full". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- ^ "Will Poulter, Emma Roberts & Jennifer Aniston Win MTV Best Kiss". Hollywood Life. 13 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.[dead link]
- ^ Smith, Krista (11 June 2014). "Hollywood's Next Wave". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (25 June 2014). "We're the Millers' Will Poulter Joins Leonardo DiCaprio in 'The Revenant' (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ Prigge, Matt (23 July 2017). "'Detroit' is a nightmarish history lesson about trauma". Metro. London. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ Kit, Borys; Siegel, Tatiana (2 June 2016). "Stephen King's 'It' Adaptation Finds Its Pennywise the Clown (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- ^ Allen, Ben (31 December 2018). "Meet the cast of Black Mirror's interactive film Bandersnatch". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (11 October 2021). "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: Will Poulter To Play Adam Warlock In The Next Installment Of The Marvel Franchise". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ White, Peter (10 June 2021). "Will Poulter & Lucy Boynton Star In Hugh Laurie's Adaptation Of Agatha Christie's 'Why Didn't They Ask Evans?' For BritBox U.S". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Weber, Rachel (8 July 2020). "The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope's Hollywood star Will Poulter on witchcraft, screaming, and his three characters". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
External links[edit]
- Will Poulter at IMDb
- 1993 births
- 21st-century English male actors
- English male child actors
- English male film actors
- English male stage actors
- English male television actors
- BAFTA winners (people)
- BAFTA Rising Star Award winners
- Male actors from London
- People educated at The Harrodian School
- People from Hammersmith
- Living people
- People with dyslexia