MANILA, Philippines – Will Poulter has left Twitter for the sake of his mental health, after trolls mocked his physical appearance on the social media platform.
Poulter recently starred in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, a choose-your-own-adventure film written by Charlie Brooker. The film is set in 1980s London, and follows a newbie video game designer Stefan (Fionn Whitehead), who attempts to create an adventure game called Bandersnatch.
In the film, Poulter plays Colin, a wunderkind designer who ends up working with Stefan, and ends up in precarious situations with him in many versions of the film.
Following the film’s premiere on December 28, Poulter was attacked online, with many Twitter users commenting on his appearance and outright calling him ugly.
“In light of my recent experiences I am choosing to take a step back, of sorts, from Twitter,” the actor said in a January 2 tweet.
“As we all know there is a balance to be struck in our engagements with social media. There are positives to enjoy and inevitable negatives that are best avoided. It’s a balance I have struggled with for a while now and in the interest of my mental health I feel the time has come to change my relationship with social media,” he wrote.
With love… pic.twitter.com/JSm7oNLTsV
— Will Poulter (@PoulterWill) January 2, 2019
He stressed his gratitude for the support he has received online, and said that he will stay on the platform to occasionally post for various groups, including an anti-bullying organization and a youth charity.
“I am privileged to have this platform. I hope that this shift to reduce my personal expression and increase the focus on issues that matter will result in a better outcome for everyone,” he said.
“This is not the end. Consider it an alternative path,” he added, referencing Bandersnatch.
Poulter, who first rose to fame for his role as Eustace Stubb in Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, was applauded by fans and his fellow actors for the move.
“Nothing but love, brother. Stay safe in the knowledge that you are the sweetest, most generous and vibrant human anyone could have the good fortune to cross their path,” his Narnia co-star Ben Barnes tweeted.
Nothing but love, brother. Stay safe in the knowledge that you are the kindest, sweetest, most generous and vibrant human anyone could have the good fortune to have cross their path.
— Ben Barnes (@benbarnes) January 3, 2019
“Best thing you can do mate. Well done,” Star Wars: The Last Jedi actor John Boyega said.
Nothing but love, brother. Stay safe in the knowledge that you are the kindest, sweetest, most generous and vibrant human anyone could have the good fortune to have cross their path.
— Ben Barnes (@benbarnes) January 3, 2019
Poulter also previously starred in We’re the Millers, and Maze Runner: The Death Cure. – Rappler.com
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