Will Poulter Shared Concerns Over How His Transformation For "Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol. 3" Could Affect His Mental Health

This article includes a discussion of food issues and body image.

And a new challenger has appeared. Will Poulter will star as an antagonist, the genetically-engineered, "perfect specimen" Adam Warlock.

In an interview with The Cut, the 30-year-old actor opened up about his love for cooking, eating, and how Marvel "prioritized [his] mental health" in preparing for the role.

"I really appreciated that they prioritized my mental health throughout the process, because I was concerned about how it might affect me when I was really hungry or tired or stressed," Will said.

According to Will, the character Adam Warlock is still "in his infancy" and "far from physically perfect in just about every way," but from what we've seen so far of the character, that's still pretty demanding in the world of superheroes:

"I knew the second they cast me that they were going in a different direction," Will said, speaking of the appearance the character in film versus the comic books.

Last year, Will revealed that he "wouldn't recommend" what it took to get prepared for this role to anybody. “It’s been a lot of gym work and a very, very specific diet,” Will said. “Quantities of food you wouldn’t necessarily want to ingest, and other times not enough food."

Will's cautionary tale isn't new. Almost every actor who transitioned into the MCU underwent an intense transformation that speaks to how much it takes to become a superhero for the big screen.

I remember after Kumail Nanjiani's dramatic transformation for Eternals, he discussed how the project brought up his "weird" relationship with food.

There was also the time when Paul Rudd revealed what it took to get shredded for his role in Ant-Man and The Wasp.

And there's that intense video of Brie Larson pushing a jeep in preparation for her role in the Captain Marvel movie.

And finally, Will's costar Chris Pratt opened up years ago about his significant change in weight over six months to prepare for his role Guardians of the Galaxy.

Based on the physical expectations of joining the MCU, it's nice to hear from actors like Will that their mental health is also prioritized.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released in theaters on May 5, 2023.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-888-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.