You might recognise Will Poulter from We’re the Millers, or more specifically, the “You guys are getting paid?” meme. But behind the viral moment is a serious actor with an impressive body of work and an Eminem CD.
Famously, Poulter’s resume spans TV and film, with credits like Midsommar, The Maze Runner, The Revenant, Dopesick, The Bear, Black Mirror, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. His latest role in Union County just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where the British actor has been doing press.
Eminem first
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Poulter shared a childhood memory that may surprise fans. Whith a question of how he spent his early earnings, the conversation drifted to music, specifically, the first album he ever bought.
“I remember buying Eminem’s album when I was 11 years old, maybe younger, in Heathrow airport”, Poulter recalled. “I was not supposed to be sold this album. And I remember putting it on in the house, and my mom was like ‘What is going on right now?!’ That was the first album I can remember ever buying”.
No, he didn’t name the album. However, any of Marshall´s work up to 2004, when Will was 11 (and later as well, let’s be honest), was bursting with language and themes far from child-friendly. Yet still, the music stuck with him.
Slim Shady’s long shadow
Obviously, Will Poulter isn’t the first star to talk about Eminem as an influential artist. From sports figures to fellow actors, Eminem’s music has been shaping teenage soundtracks for over two decades.
Even now, with a BAFTA win and major Hollywood roles under his belt, Poulter remembers the thrill, and slight panic, of playing Eminem at home. That album may not have been age-appropriate, but it left a lasting impression.
In fact, for generations now, discovering Eminem has been about more than music – it has been a rite of passage.
