Will Poulter: ‘I’m Not Conventionally Attractive,’ but Should It Matter?
Will Poulter is speaking out about the “backhanded compliment” he felt he received throughout his career.
“I’ve always had remarks about looking unusual - whether it’s my eyebrows or whatever else, people have made a thing of that.” https://t.co/9tkzi5ewFx pic.twitter.com/TJYtejtXnF
- IndieWire (@IndieWire) May 10, 2023
Will Poulter called out the emphasis on looks in the film industry, citing the “backhanded compliment” behind a “glow-up” transformation across his career.
“It’s funny - when things trend like that on the Internet, all context is lost and a big one is talking about overnight transformations. The one that went viral in relation to me was a picture of me in ‘We’re The Millers’ next to a picture of me in ‘Guardians.’ There’s literally 10 years between those two pictures but people don’t even realize it. Someone in the pub two days ago said, ‘Oh, you’ve had a glow up. Congrats.’ It’s a little bit hard to not accept that as, ‘You were ugly for the best part of your life, and now things are looking up a bit!'”
“I don’t know if that’s just me being cynical, but it’s hard to not take it as a backhanded compliment. People say it like it’s positive, but it could also contribute to a complex.”
“It was weird when people started to debate my physical appearance online as to whether it was deemed attractive or unattractive. I am very comfortable and secure in the knowledge that I’m not conventionally attractive as I’ve always had remarks about looking unusual - whether it’s my eyebrows or whatever else, people have made a thing of that. I think it just speaks to a wider issue, of: Why are we discussing or spending so much time discussing people’s physical appearance? Especially in the case of women. But whether you’re male or female, why is that the focus so much? Unfortunately, social media has created this problematic idea that everyone’s opinion on everything matters equally.”
“For the last few years, virtually every day, someone takes a photo without asking, which is uncomfortable. To a large degree, male privilege has protected me from that kind of objectification and the idea that up until now really I’ve been able to go about my job and not have my physical appearance be something of a subject matter - that privilege hasn’t been afforded to my female counterparts in the industry.”
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