" I was implicated about how it might affect me when I was really hungry or tired or stressed . "

This article includes a treatment of intellectual nourishment issues and eubstance picture .

The newGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3is almost here!

And a new challenger has appeared.Will Poulterwill star as an antagonist, the genetically-engineered, “perfect specimen,” Adam Warlock.

In an interview withThe Cut, the 30-year-old actor opened up about his love for cooking, eating, and how Marvel “prioritized [his] mental health” in preparing for the role.

“I really appreciated that they prioritized my mental health throughout the process because I was concerned about how it might affect me when I was really hungry or tired or stressed,” Will said.

According to Will, the character Adam Warlock is still “in his infancy” and “far from physically perfect in just about every way,” but from what we’ve seen so far of the character, that’s still pretty demanding in the world of superheroes:

“I knew the second they cast me that they were going in a different direction,” Will said, speaking of theappearancethe character in film versus the comic books.

Last year, Willrevealedthat he “wouldn’t recommend” what it took to get prepared for this role to anybody. “It’s been a lot of gym work and a very, very specific diet,” Will said. “Quantities of food you wouldn’t necessarily want to ingest, and other times not enough food."

Will’s cautionary tale isn’t new. Almost every actor who transitioned into theMCUunderwent an intense transformation that speaks to how much it takes to become a superhero for the big screen.

I remember after Kumail Nanjiani’s dramatictransformationforEternals, hediscussedhow the project brought up his “weird” relationship with food.

There was also the time whenPaul Ruddrevealedwhat it took to get shredded for his role inAnt-Manand The Wasp.

And his costar Evangeline Lilly evenposteda preview of her getting her arms “ready” for her character, Wasp.

Waspready arms . 💪 🏻. They better be . First prescribed solar day of shooting for me tomorrow ! 😃 .#putmeincoach!pic.twitter.com / CtuCfBU8vw

And there’s that intensevideoofBrie Larsonpushing a jeep in preparation for her role in theCaptain Marvelmovie.

And finally, Will’s costar Chris Prattopened upyears ago about his significant change in weight over six months to prepare for his role inGuardians of the Galaxy.

Based on the physical expectations of joining the MCU, it’s nice to hear from actors like Will that their mental health is also prioritized.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3will be released in theaters on 24 December 2024.

TheNational Alliance on Mental Illnesshelpline is 1-888-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services;GoodTherapy.orgis an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.

TheNational Eating Disorders Associationhelpline is 1-800-931-2237; for 24/7 crisis support, text “NEDA” to 741741.