British actor Will Poulter, known for his roles in films like We’re The Millers and The Maze Runner, has opened up about his battle with mental health challenges and the dual-edged impact of his acting career. At 30 years old, Poulter revealed that acting became both a passion and a temporary refuge from addressing his mental health issues, which include generalised anxiety disorder, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
“I think for me, performance offered me something of an escape,” Poulter shared in an interview with the PA news agency. Reflecting on his journey, he admitted, “For a while, maybe I wasn’t addressing some of my mental health issues as early as I might have, because I was losing myself in my work a little bit.”
Finding Solace and Struggles in Acting
Poulter, who began his acting career as a child in the 2007 film Son of Rambow, acknowledged the complexity of his relationship with his profession. While acting provided a creative outlet and a sense of purpose, it also allowed him to avoid confronting deeper personal issues.
“It’s been a kind of blessing and a curse in that respect,” he said. Despite the challenges, Poulter expressed gratitude for his career, noting, “I’m very passionate about [acting], and I love doing it. So it nets out as being a positive, and I’m grateful for it.”
Championing Men’s Mental Health With Movember
Poulter has become an outspoken advocate for mental health, especially among men. As part of his advocacy, he has teamed up with the men’s health charity Movember for its 20th anniversary. The global organization is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for men’s health issues, including testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and mental health challenges like depression and suicide prevention.
“Movember has long helped deconstruct that stigma and create a more hospitable environment for people to be able to talk about mental health,” Poulter explained. This marks the second consecutive year the actor has collaborated with the charity, which he credits for fostering a much-needed conversation around men’s mental well-being.
Poulter emphasized the importance of creating a society where seeking help for mental health is normalized rather than stigmatized. “What we have to work towards is a destigmatised society, so it isn’t such a courageous thing to do [to speak up],” he said.
Breaking Down Stigma Around Mental Health
Discussing his own experiences, Poulter described how addressing mental health openly has been both liberating and enlightening. “I’ve found, certainly, that having the opportunity to talk in a kind of no-holds-barred fashion, and not to feel the kind of brunt of the stigma, has been really beneficial,” he said.
Highlighting the shared nature of struggles, Poulter noted, “By talking to people more openly about the subject of mental health, you quickly come into contact with the idea that it’s often people that you wouldn’t necessarily assume are suffering from something. Everyone has a mental health to consider; everyone’s dealing with something to some extent.”
Despite progress in public awareness, Poulter acknowledged that mental health remains a heavily stigmatized issue, particularly among men. “When you think about it, we’re talking about an organ—taking care of the most vital organ in your body,” he pointed out. “To think there’s so much stigmatisation around that is kind of bizarre—but that is the situation we find ourselves in.”
A Growing Crisis Among Men
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) paint a stark picture of men’s mental health in England and Wales. In 2021, around 74% of suicides were men, making it the leading cause of death among men aged 20 to 34. Movember’s own research highlights that one in five men aged 16 to 29 in the UK experienced moderate to severe depressive symptoms in 2023.
The charity has been addressing these alarming trends since 2006, focusing on prevention, early intervention, and health promotion. Movember’s annual campaign—where participants grow moustaches during November—has become a global phenomenon, raising millions of pounds for men’s health causes.
The Courage to Speak Up
Poulter credited the support of his friends and family for helping him navigate his mental health journey. “I’m very fortunate to have a lot of people in my life, both men and women, who contribute to that conversation [around mental health] very openly,” he said. However, he acknowledged that many individuals lack such a support network.
“It often requires a lot of courage on behalf of the person who’s dealing with a mental health issue to speak up,” Poulter said. By fostering a culture of openness, he hopes that seeking help will one day become as routine as addressing physical health concerns.
Movember: Two Decades of Advocacy
Movember, founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003, has grown from a grassroots movement into a global force for change. Over the past 20 years, the organization has raised millions to tackle some of the most pressing health issues faced by men.
For Poulter, working with Movember has been a meaningful way to give back and encourage others to seek support. As he continues to speak candidly about his mental health, Poulter hopes his story will inspire others to do the same. “When you break it down, everyone’s dealing with something. By sharing, we can create a community where no one feels alone.”
In shedding light on his own struggles, Will Poulter not only underscores the importance of mental health awareness but also challenges the societal norms that perpetuate silence and shame. Through his work with Movember, he is helping to pave the way for a more open and supportive world.