Guardians 3 Star Defends Adam Warlock’s Portrayal, Applauds Criticism Of His Body

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Behind the scenes, being a superhero isn’t always so glamorous, according to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) stars Will Poulter.

Credit: Marvel Studios

The third and final episode of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy finally arrived in theaters on May 5 to rave reviews from fans and critics, many calling it Gunn’s “Swan Song” of a goodbye. to the MCU.

Most of the original cast reprized their roles for the new movie, including Chris Pratt, who plays Star-Lord/Peter Quill, Karen Gillan, who plays Nebula, Sean Gunn, who plays Kraglin, and Bradley Cooper, who voices Rocket Raccoon. , among others.

Credit: Marvel Studios

But even though the film received overwhelming praise, some took issue with the portrayal of one character: Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter.

Adam Warlock’s arrival in the MCU and the Guardians franchise, in particular, has been a long time coming. But some fans of the character’s portrayal in the comics felt disappointed with his on-screen debut in Vol. 3, which admittedly felt disjointed compared to the larger story arc of Guardians.

Credit: GamesRadar

Instead of being the mighty warrior of the comics, this version of Adam Warlock”[came] come out of the oven early and is not fully cooked,” a totally intentional choice allegedly made by Gunn. Poulter defended this “twisted” character portrayal in a recent interview with GQ Magazine, where he addressed Adam Warlock’s childish ways in the threequel, saying:

Clearly James was putting a certain spin on Warlock. In this film, he is only at his beginnings. It comes out of the oven early and is not fully cooked. He’s trying to navigate a world where there’s a lot of pressure to tell the difference between right and wrong.

.@PoulterWill talks about his role as Adam Warlock in #GotGVol3 and makes peace with internet strangers debating his appearance https://t.co/Fyq7Ne9NoV

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) May 9, 2023

The actor went on to explain that playing Gunn as the character was “a really fun place to explore,” reflecting on what he loved about previous Guardians films:

It was a really fun place to explore because there was an opportunity for drama and comedy there. The character of Warlocks typifies what I personally love about “Guardians”, which is that these characters are funny, yet they all feel psychologically authentic.

Adam Warlock undoubtedly has room to grow and evolve as a character in future MCU projects, and his future in the franchise looks hopeful, as the post-credits scenes of Vol. 3.

Credit: Marvel

And if anyone has the credentials to take on such a role, it’s probably Poulter, who has starred in a range of different genres, from his breakout role in the Narnia franchise to his more recent appearance in the masterpiece. Ari Aster’s horror work, Midsommar (2019). His versatility as an actor will only help him further flesh out the character of Adam Warlock down the line as he begins to evolve and discover new sides of himself.

But while Poulter may have had a good experience working alongside Gunn and theGuardianscrew, his Marvel experience hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows.

Credit: Marvel Studios

Speaking to GQ Hype, Poulter opened up about his insecurities while preparing for his Marvel gig, admitting that people’s remarks about his physical appearance could have taken a toll on his mental health if he hadn’t been “at the comfortable” and “secure” with its appearance:

I am very comfortable and confident in knowing that I am not conventionally attractive as I have always had remarks about the unusual appearance. I think it’s just a bigger question: why do we discuss or spend so much time discussing people’s physical appearance?

Poulter’s remarks follow his “brilliance” (by Marvel standards, at least) for Vol. 3, which required him to gain weight and tone his body to fully embody the “superhero look”. Unfortunately, this created a whole wave of obsession for her dramatic body transformation, which happened online before the flight. 3’s release.

Credit: Marvel

In the same interview, the actor told the publication that he worked as hard as he could to build muscle for the role, stressing that he did so in a “safe” and “natural” way. ” for him :

All I know is that I worked as hard as I could, safely and naturally, to eventually pass as a superhero. I can’t be a mental health advocate and simultaneously promote anything other than responsible, natural bodybuilding. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel like I’m suggesting that there is a body type that is better than anyone else’s body type.

Credit: Marvel Studios

He also admitted that people’s comments about his muscular appearance sounded like “backhand compliments” and that “before and after” photos of his body posted online seemed to deliver a crude message about societal fitness standards:

People don’t even realize it. Someone in the pub said two days ago, Oh, you had a glow. Cheer. It’s kinda hard not to accept that because, you’ve been ugly for most of your life, and now things are looking up a bit! I don’t know if it’s just me being cynical, but it’s hard not to take it as a backhanded compliment. People say it as if it’s positive, but it could also contribute to a complex.

Poulter has been a strong advocate for mental health awareness after starring in 2021’s Dopesick. In the past, he has spoken openly about his personal mental health experience, which he struggled with during the COVID-19 pandemic. 19. For that reason, it’s no surprise that Poulter made it a point to put his mental well-being first when he began training for Vol. 3.

Grant Pollard/Invision/AP

Poulter’s recent comments are an important reminder that no one should ever judge or criticize a person’s physical appearance and that ultimately actors are only human and live with their own insecurities. Dave Bautista, who plays Drax in the MCU, also opened up about his body insecurity while filming scenes for his often shirtless character.

Thankfully, Poulter made it clear that Marvel “definitely never put pressure” on him to gain muscle for the role and that it ultimately benefited the way he looks.

Did you like Will Poulter’s portrayal of Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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