Will Poulter | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Poulter in 2024 | |
| Born | William Jack Poulter (1993-01-28)28 January 1993 (age 32) Hammersmith,London, England |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2006–present |
William Jack Poulter (born 28 January 1993) is an English actor. Known for his work in film and television, his accolades include aBritish Academy Film Award as well as nominations for twoPrimetime Emmy Awards.
Poulter first gained recognition inSchool of Comedy (2009) and then for his role asEustace Scrubb in the adventure filmThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). Worldwide recognition came from his starring role in the comedy filmWe're the Millers (2013), winning theBAFTA Rising Star Award the following year. Poulter starred in thefirst andthird films of the dystopian science fiction trilogyThe Maze Runner (2014–2018), the period filmThe Revenant (2015), the crime drama filmDetroit (2017), the horror filmMidsommar (2019), the romantic dramaOn Swift Horses (2024), and the war dramaWarfare (2025). He joined theMarvel Cinematic Universe asAdam Warlock inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
On television, he receivedPrimetime Emmy Award nominations for his roles in theHulu miniseriesDopesick (2021) and theFX's seriesThe Bear (2023–present). He also acted in theAmazon Prime Video historical miniseriesThe Underground Railroad (2021) and theNetflix projectsBlack Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) andBlack Mirror: Plaything (2025).
William Jack Poulter was born on 28 January 1993[1] inHammersmith,London, the son of Neil Poulter, a professor of preventivecardiovascular medicine atImperial College London,[2] and Caroline (née Barrah), a former nurse who was brought up inKenya.[3][4]
He was a pupil atHarrodian School, whose well-known acting graduates includeGeorge MacKay andRobert Pattinson.[5] He struggled in school due todyslexia anddevelopmental coordination disorder, but found that he loved drama, which "gave [him] a sense of purpose".[6]
Poulter began studying drama at theUniversity of Bristol in 2012,[7] before leaving after a year[8] when he got offered a part inThe Maze Runner.[9][better source needed]
Poulter played the role of Lee Carter in the 2007 filmSon of Rambow, alongside his co-starBill Milner. He performed with other young comedic actors inSchool of Comedy,[10] which aired its pilot onChannel 4'sComedy Lab on 21 August 2008, before being commissioned for a full series in 2009.[11]
In 2010 he played the role ofEustace Scrubb in the filmThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which was filmed in Queensland, Australia, and was accompanied by some members of his family.[12][13] In 2010 he appeared in theBBC Three pilotThe Fades, a 60-minute supernatural thriller written byJack Thorne. The pilot was picked up as a six-part series in 2011, of which Poulter was not included.[14]
In 2011 Poulter starred alongsideCharlie Creed-Miles as Bill's son Dean, in the British independent filmWild Bill, directed byDexter Fletcher.[15] The cast included a host of British talent withLeo Gregory,Neil Maskell,Liz White,Iwan Rheon,Olivia Williams,Jaime Winstone,Andy Serkis, andSean Pertwee, and scored a perfect 100% onRotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.[16] In 2012 Poulter began studying drama at theUniversity of Bristol where he lived in Badock Hall. He dropped out after a year in order to pursue acting full-time.[17]
In 2013 Poulter played Kenny inWe're the Millers,[18] starringJennifer Aniston andJason Sudeikis. He also appeared as a caretaker in the music video forRizzle Kicks' song "Skip to the Good Bit".[19] Additionally, he unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Augustus Waters inThe Fault in Our Stars.[20]
In 2014 he played Fordy in the crime filmPlastic, directed byJulian Gilbey and starringEd Speleers,Alfie Allen,Sebastian De Souza andEmma Rigby. The same year, he played Gally in the film adaptation ofThe Maze Runner,[18] alongsideDylan O'Brien andKaya Scodelario. Poulter went on to describe the film, and his role in it, as "a turning point" in his career.[20]
In 2015 Poulter starred as Shane in the Irish indie filmGlassland,[18] directed by Gerard Barrett and co-starringJack Reynor andToni Collette.[18]
In 2014 Poulter won theBAFTA Rising Star Award, voted for by the public.[21][22] The same year, he also won theMTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and theMTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (shared with his co-stars Jennifer Aniston andEmma Roberts) for his performance inWe're the Millers.[23]
In 2014 Poulter was chosen as one of 23 upcoming actors to feature in July's issue ofVanity Fair, with all actors being named "Hollywood's Next Wave".[24]
Poulter playedJim Bridger in the revenge-thrillerThe Revenant (2015), directed byAlejandro González Iñárritu, and starringLeonardo DiCaprio andTom Hardy. The film centres on an 1820s frontiersman on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling.[25] In 2017 he played the racist police officer Philip Krauss in the filmDetroit,[18] about the1967 Detroit riots. His performance was praised byMetro's Matt Prigge, who called him "terrifyingly confident".[26]
Poulter was originally cast asPennywise the Dancing Clown in the two supernatural horror filmsIt (2017) andIt Chapter Two (2019), both based onStephen King's1986 epic supernatural horror novel of the same name. However, it was announced in June 2016 thatBill Skarsgård had been cast instead as Poulter became unavailable after the departure of its initial directorCary Fukunaga.[27]
In 2018 Poulter reprised his role as Gally inMaze Runner: The Death Cure, the third and final instalment of theMaze Runner film series.[18] Later that year, he starred in the filmThe Little Stranger,[18] as Roderick "Roddy" Ayres, a facially disfigured, haunted war veteran; and as game developer Colin Ritman inBlack Mirror: Bandersnatch, a standaloneinteractive film of theBlack Mirror television series.[28] In 2019 he played the character of Mark inAri Aster's horror filmMidsommar.[18] That year, he andAsim Chaudry presentedLee Mack with theBest Entertainment Performance award at theBAFTA TV awards forWould I Lie to You.[29] In 2020 he participated in filmingThe Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope,[18] an interactive choice game created bySupermassive Games, in which he portrays Andrew, Anthony, and Abraham.
Poulter played the role ofOxyContinsales representative Billy Cutler inHulu's 2021 drama miniseriesDopesick.[18] Poulter's performance was nominated for a 2022Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for this role.[30]
In October 2021, Poulter was cast asAdam Warlock inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which released on 5 May 2023.[31][32]
In September 2024, Poulter was named as an ambassador ofdementia charityAlzheimer's Research UK.[33]
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||
| Glassland | Shane | |||
| 2015 | The Revenant | Jim Bridger | ||
| 2016 | Kids in Love | Jack | [34] | |
| 2017 | War Machine | Sgt. Rick Ortega | [35] | |
| Detroit | Philip Krauss | [36] | ||
| 2018 | Maze Runner: The Death Cure | Gally | ||
| The Little Stranger | Roderick "Roddy" Ayres | [37] | ||
| 2019 | Bainne | Irish farmer | Short film | [38] |
| Midsommar | Mark | [39] | ||
| 2021 | The Score | Troy | [40] | |
| 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Adam Warlock | [41] | |
| 2024 | On Swift Horses | Lee | [42] | |
| 2025 | Death of a Unicorn | Shepard Leopold | ||
| Warfare | Erik | [43] | ||
| 2026 | I Love Boosters † | TBA | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | InteractiveNetflix television film | [44] |
| 2021 | The Underground Railroad | Sam | Miniseries; 1 episode | |
| Dopesick | Billy Cutler | Miniseries; 8 episodes | [45] | |
| 2022 | Why Didn't They Ask Evans? | Bobby Jones | Miniseries; 3 episodes | [46] |
| 2023–present | The Bear | Luca | 8 episodes | [47] |
| 2025 | Black Mirror | Colin Ritman | Episode: "Plaything" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope | Andrew, Anthony, and Abraham | Voice and motion capture | [48] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tom Clancy'sSplinter Cell: Firewall | Brody Teague | Voice |
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