In the indie drama Union County, British actor Will Poulter portrays a young man named Cody who is struggling with substance abuse and attempting to rebuild his life. The film centers on a drug recovery court in Bellefontaine, Ohio, where a counselor named Annette Deao offers incarcerated individuals a path to sobriety. Poulter describes his character as a man whose self-respect is in the basement, noting that Cody does not like or accept himself enough to embark on helping himself.
Directed by Ohio native Adam Meeks, the film serves as a bruising yet poetic examination of a real-life recovery program that utilizes daily sobriety testing. The production features a hybrid approach, blending narrative storytelling with documentary-style elements. Alongside Poulter and co-star Noah Centineo, who plays his foster brother, the cast includes many first-time actors who share their own authentic and often non-linear experiences with recovery.
Poulter, who spoke about the project ahead of its US release, emphasized that Meeks was committed to working with the community rather than simply making a film about it. He noted that the production team prioritized avoiding interference with the participants’ recovery processes, which he believes encouraged the cast to be exceptionally generous with their stories. Poulter felt confident in the project after viewing Meeks’s 2020 short film of the same name, which also featured local Bellefontaine residents.
The actor expressed frustration with how Hollywood often portrays addiction, arguing that films like Beautiful Boy, Ben Is Back, and Hillbilly Elegy frequently focus too heavily on devastation. In contrast, he praised Union County for highlighting the success of the recovery program, which boasts a significant 50% success rate. Poulter believes that platforming these successes is essential to changing the narrative around substance use disorder.
Reflecting on his career, Poulter has moved from early roles in Son of Rambow to complex performances in projects like Midsommar, Detroit, The Revenant, and the acclaimed series Dopesick and The Bear. His dedication to his craft is well-documented, ranging from intensive chef training for The Bear to physical preparation for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. Despite his mainstream success, he remains deeply committed to independent cinema, noting that he finds local theaters in places like Akron and Dayton to be sacred spaces.
In Union County, Poulter’s performance is marked by an unshowy confidence that captures the quiet pride of a man living out of his car while striving for stability. A pivotal moment occurs when the counselor, Annette, tells Cody she is proud of him—a sentiment he has never heard before. Poulter argues that society often fails to provide such affirmation to young people, and he believes it is shameful that we continue to stigmatize those who have not been afforded basic support.
The filming process was emotionally heavy for the actor, though he acknowledged that his experience paled in comparison to the reality faced by the actual participants. While he could go home each night, the individuals in the 18-month program were engaged in a continuous, demanding process of recovery. Poulter also addressed the broader political landscape, expressing concern over reports that the Trump administration has cut more than $1bn in federal funding to mental health and addiction programs, calling such rollbacks devastating.
Poulter criticized the prevailing misinformation that prevents people from viewing addiction with the same compassion offered to other mental health issues. He noted that public perception often ignores the root causes of substance use, such as early exposure to prescription opioids, domestic violence, or sudden homelessness. While he is vocal about various political causes, including Palestinian rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy, he remained cautious about commenting on specific US administrative priorities, stating he lacked sufficient education on the latest American developments to provide an expert opinion.
Looking ahead, Poulter continues to balance his career between mainstream projects and artistic endeavors. Reports have surfaced regarding his potential involvement in Rapture, a medieval body-horror film by director Jordan Tannahill, which reportedly explores a relationship between two monks. Poulter expressed admiration for Tannahill’s talent and a strong desire to collaborate with him in the future. His upcoming slate also includes the Netflix hostage drama Rabbit, Rabbit, alongside Adam Driver and Regina Hall, and the Apple TV dramedy Beat The Reaper. The report also notes that which also collaborated with Bellefontaine locals, Poulter felt sure that Union County would do justice to the subject, after seeing Meeks’s contemplative 2020 short film of the same name. The report also notes that “In the representation of addiction on screen there is a tendency to focus on devastation and the negative side of things,” Poulter said. The report also notes that it has an over 50% success rate which is phenomenal – incomparable in some ways – so it was really about platforming that above all else.”. The report also notes that a young man who shuffles towards the lectern and quietly says that he’s ready to give it a shot, one bright day she meets Cody. The report also notes that the hybrid of narrative feature and documentary-esque elements combine in a deeply affecting watch that is anchored by Poulter’s natural-feeling approach to the role. The report also notes that i think that’s the reason they were so generous.”. The report also notes that since breaking out as a child star in 2007 in British comedy Son of Rambow, Poulter has traded teenage parts in centrist Hollywood fare such as We’re The Millers and The Maze Runner for subtle, sturdy work in auteur-driven projects such as Ari Aster’s Midsommar, Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit and Alejandro G Iñárritu’s The Revenant as well as receiving Emmy nominations for turns in TV shows Dopesick and The Bear. The report also notes that poulter is undoubtedly dedicated to his work – in a trait which has seen him undergoing rigorous chef training for The Bear and an intense workout regimen for Marvel’s Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 3 – but also has a taste for the unexpected.
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