British actor Will Poulter stars in the indie film Union County as Cody, a young man struggling with substance abuse who attempts to turn his life around. The film, directed by Adam Meeks, is set in a real-life drug recovery court in Bellefontaine, Ohio, where individuals join long-term treatment programs with daily sobriety testing.
A Grounded Approach to Addiction
Poulter, known for roles in The Bear and Dopesick, praised Meeks's approach, saying, "It was clear to me from the outset that Adam wasn’t interested in making a film about a community as he was in making it in with a community." The film blends narrative with documentary elements, featuring first-time actors who share their real recovery stories.
Poulter highlighted the program's success rate, noting, "It has an over 50% success rate which is phenomenal – incomparable in some ways – so it was really about platforming that above all else." He criticized Hollywood's tendency to focus on devastation, saying, "In the representation of addiction on screen there is a tendency to focus on devastation and the negative side of things."
A Performance of Quiet Pride
Poulter's portrayal of Cody captures the character's brokenness and gradual recovery. He noted that when counselor Annette Deao says, "I’m really proud of you," it's "the first time he’s ever heard that in his life." Poulter added, "There are plenty of people in their mid-20s who have never had that kind of affirmation or support. And yet we hold them to the same standard as people who have been told they are loved on a regular basis. That’s shame on us for stigmatizing people in that position."
Filming was emotionally taxing, Poulter said, as he went home each night while real participants faced an 18-month program. "So however it was for me, it pales in comparison to what it was like for the real participants."
Political Context and Future Projects
Poulter expressed concern over recent cuts to mental health and addiction programs, saying, "Those kinds of rollbacks are devastating to me because I can’t detach myself from the idea that that is informed by a lot of harmful stigma and misinformation." He hopes the film will "move people to think differently about substance use disorder."
Regarding his rumored return as Adam Warlock in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Poulter said, "I genuinely have no information on that, but obviously I’d be honored to come back." He remains committed to independent film, saying, "I love independent film more than anything." Union County is out in the US now, with UK and Australia releases to follow.
