Will Poulter’s Body Transformation: ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Actor Gets Real About Body Image

Will Poulter's body transformation is more striking than most, given that he was thoroughly adolescent during his Hollywood breakout We're The Millers. Now, he's a bonafide heartthrob, but the road to star-studded sex appeal has been more complicated than you might expect.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy series is replete with mightily impressive body transformations. In fact, series star Chris Pratt recently revealed how he had to scrap his four-burgers-per-day diet to get in superhero shape before he stepped into the much-acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Now, Will Poulter – who might have broken out with We're The Millers but has more recently appeared in widely-acclaimed films like Midsommar and The Revenant – has also joined the MCU to take on the role of caped superhero Adam Warlock in the highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

However, Poulter's role isn't the only thing that has garnered a swathe of media attention since the movie was announced last year. The 30-year-old British star's unprecedented physical transformation has made him the viral subject of thirst tweets and internet-boyfriend articles galore...

WATCH the high-octane trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below.

Speaking to The New York Times, Poulter explains how he was previously bullied for his looks. Safe to say, he's come a long way from playing the scrawny, geeky types that defined the early years of his career: after plenty of hours in the gym and a very favourable final push through puberty, Poulter is now 6'2, has a thick head of blond hair and is – most importantly – absolutely shredded.

However, Poulter's transformation, which follows in the footsteps of fellow British dorks-turned-dreamboats Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel, hasn't been without its challenges. "It's quite odd because I've sort of formed my personality around looking a certain way," he admits.

"Psychologically, I'm still 5'4 because that's what I was at school. Even being tall is something that I'm still getting used to!"

Will Poulter

Blonde, broad, and badass, Poulter's take on Adam Warlock brings an exciting new dimension to the MCU. Image: Marvel

In fact, the actor finds some people's responses to his transformation pretty annoying. "People are acting like I played Kenny Miller in 2013 and then woke up and now I look like I do, like there was some strange and mystical explanation behind it,” he said, before adding that he "just grew up, like every other human being on Earth.”

Poulter's acutely aware of the wider media landscape in regard to all things bodily:

"There’s a lot of pressure out there on young people, both men and women, regarding body image."

Will Poulter

This is a large part of the reason why he believes that honesty is a crucial and often underrepresented part of the transformation process: "If you’re going to promote the process by which you achieved said body goal, I think you have to be fully transparent about how you got there."

Some non-believers have even gone so far as to accuse the actor of having plastic surgery, but Poulter explains openly that “there’s no way that I could’ve got into the shape that I got had I not been working out for a number of years prior and built up foundations”.

Quintessential eyebrows aside, the actor is almost unrecognisable from when he started out. Image: NYT

Accusations like this are a shame, given that as a preteen growing up in Hammersmith, London, Poulter quickly realised that acting was a safe and carefree space for him. He'd spend his entire week looking forward to drama class on Friday morning, a place where he could relax, be himself, and explore his already evident creativity.

In fact, it was that same safe space that launched his now meteoric career after drama teachers encouraged him to audition for indie comedy Son of Rambow which, naturally, he landed on the first try... Despite being a mere twelve years old.

So let this be a lesson to all of us: just because you grew up looking dorky and gawky doesn't mean it always has to be that way but, if your heart is set on changing the way you look, don't be discouraged by the social-media trendsetters and naysayers.

More importantly, if you're a young, enterprising school bully, don't pick on the lad with the funny eyebrows. You never know where he might end up.

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