It featured the British actor looking far more ripped than in prior movies such as We’re the Millers and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
The 30-year-old put in a lot of effort to get into shape for his role as Adam Warlock, but he appeared to be overwhelmed by the number of praises he was receiving.
He told British GQ in May of this year that while everyone looked to be coming from a nice place, it didn’t sit right with him.
“It was strange when people started debating whether my physical appearance was considered attractive or unattractive online,” he told the newspaper.
“I’m very comfortable and secure in the knowledge that I’m not conventionally attractive because I’ve always received comments about looking unusual—whether it’s my brows or whatever else, people have made a thing of it.”
“I think it just speaks to a broader issue: why are we debating or devoting so much time to people’s physical appearance? “This is especially true for women.”
“But why is gender so important, whether you’re male or female? Unfortunately, social media has fostered the flawed notion that everyone’s opinion on anything is equally important.”
He began to notice a rush of social media messages comparing him to his appearance in 2013’s We’re the Millers.
However, Poulter stated that such a comparison is somewhat illogical given that it was made ten years ago.
So much can happen to a person, both great and terrible, in a decade that comparing the two is practically meaningless, especially given that he was just 20 years old at the time.
“‘Oh, you’ve had a glow-up,’ commented someone at the pub two days ago. “Congratulations,” he told British GQ.
“It’s difficult not to interpret that as, ‘You were ugly for the best part of your life, and now things are looking up a bit!'”
“I’m not sure if that’s just me being cynical, but it’s difficult not to interpret it as a backhanded compliment.”
“People say it like it’s something positive, but it could also contribute to a complex.”
So the next time you want to congratulate someone on their accomplishments, be cautious.
Praise may go a long way, but it must be handled correctly or it might backfire.