Will Poulter hits back at people who joke about his eyebrows

Will Poulter has shared his experiences regarding the online scrutiny he endures due to his physical appearance.

At a tender age of 17, Poulter made his debut in the film industry by portraying the character of cousin Eustace Scrubb in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Subsequently, his career has flourished, propelling him deeper into the public eye.

Nonetheless, as his fame has grown, so has the volume of attention and discussion directed towards him on the internet, and it extends beyond his acting abilities alone.

The price of achievement is evident, especially in the realm of television and film. Poulter shares with GQ that 'almost every day' over the 'past few years', someone has captured 'a photograph [of him] without permission'.

He further explains, "To a great extent, male privilege has shielded me from that kind of objectification and the notion that, until now, my physical appearance has not become a topic of discussion - a privilege that has not been extended to my female colleagues in the industry."

Regardless, one thing remains certain: the continuous scrutiny and invasion of privacy through photography is undeniably 'unpleasant'.

Now, how do Poulter's eyebrows - out of all things - fit into this narrative?

Poulter experienced a sense of strangeness when social media users began discussing his physical appearance and debating whether he was 'attractive or unattractive'.

Fortunately, the 30-year-old remains 'highly confident and content knowing [he doesn't] conform to conventional standards of attractiveness'.

Nevertheless, Poulter specifically mentions that he has consistently received comments about his distinctive eyebrows, with some labeling him 'eyebrow kid' due to the way he employs them in his facial expressions, or for other reasons. "People have made a fuss about that," he acknowledges.

In the end, although Poulter is fortunate enough to not be greatly influenced by such online discussions, he considers it crucial to address because he believes it 'reflects a broader problem'.

"Why are we devoting extensive time and energy to discussing individuals' physical appearance? Particularly when it comes to women. However, regardless of gender, why does it dominate the conversation to such an extent?

"Regrettably, social media has fostered this problematic notion that everyone's opinion on any matter carries equal weight," Poulter elucidates.

Moreover, the comments concerning Poulter's appearance extend beyond the online realm.

Poulter observes how 'all context is disregarded' when certain things go viral on the internet, and one significant example is 'overnight transformations'.

Poulter explains, "One that gained immense popularity involved a picture of me in We're The Millers compared to a picture of me in Guardians. There's literally a span of 10 years between those two images, but people fail to realize that. Just two days ago, someone at a pub remarked, 'Oh, you've had a glow-up. Congratulations.' It's somewhat challenging not to interpret it as, 'You were unattractive for the majority of your life, and now things are finally improving a bit!'

"I don't know if it's just my cynicism, but it's difficult not to perceive it as a backhanded compliment. People present it as a positive comment, but it can also contribute to fostering insecurities."

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