Death Of A Unicorn star Will Poulter's life off-screen including 'scary' mental health battle

Actor Will Poulter does not shy away from discussing his private life.

The star is currently making headlines for his role in A24's new horror film, Death of a Unicorn — but what more is there to know about him?

Born and raised in London, Poulter broke into the industry at just 13 years old. While his career was taking off, the young actor was privately battling with OCD.

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He recently opened up about the condition on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, revealing that he was diagnosed as a teenager. The 32-year-old recalled having intrusive thoughts, a common symptom of OCD, throughout his childhood.

However, the mental health problem had a child-like 'imaginative spin' as he was growing up.

Poulter explained: "It [the OCD] just had a different and typically imaginative spin on it for a child. I can remember having this voice in my head, telling me if I didn't walk on certain paving stones on the way up to my mum and dad's house, something terrible was going to happen to them."

"I was really lucky. I got access to therapy in my early teens. I was probably 14 when I first started experiencing obsessive compulsive thoughts and the ruminations and intrusive thoughts," he added.

Before receiving a diagnosis, the star was scared of his 'way of thinking,' believing he was alone with the condition.

He confessed: "Until it was diagnosed and until I received that therapy, I just thought I was totally alone with this condition, or not even condition at that time, this way of thinking, with this defunct brain. I was so scared.

"And that I think is the scariest thing about any mental health issues and you can never underestimate how alone someone can feel in their state."

Poulter is not only candid about his private life, the star has also spilled behind-the-scenes secrets about his biggest roles.

In 2023, he joined the cast of FX's hit show The Bear, appearing on two episodes in season two and reprising his role in season three.

While he previously admitted that he 'begged' showrunner Christopher Storer for a part in the Emmy-winning series, the Marvel star recently admitted that he initially wanted to create a TV show of his own, similar to The Bear.

He revealed to Vanity Fair that he had pitched a show about chefs working in a big city, but it did not work out.

"I was in conversation with a really big production company and I pitched them my show about chefs trying to make it in a big city, and I heard crickets, and I was little bit bummed," he said.

Following the setback, the London-born celebrity spotted a billboard of The Bear in Los Angeles, and decided to get in touch with Storer.

"We hit it off so well," he said of his relationship with the award-winning writer.

"And I begged him for a role in The Bear and he was kind enough to bless me with the part of Luca and it kind of changed my life man, it [is] like, a really really special part of my life now," Poulter concluded.

The star's next TV role will be in the seventh season of Netflix's , premiering on April 10. He initially joined the franchise in 2018, starring in the standalone interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.

He will reprise the role of Colin Ritman in episode four, titled 'Plaything', which follows a murder suspect who is linked to a highly-advanced video game.

Death of a Unicorn is in cinemas from April 4.