'Black Mirror' Star Quit Twitter Following Abuse Over 'Bandersnatch'

Netflix has dominated the pop culture discussion at the beginning of 2019, with the success of Bird Box (and the Bird Box Challenge) and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. The choose-your-own-adventure movie should be a boon for the cast’s careers, but Will Poulter, who plays video game creator Colin Ritman, quit Twitter to protect his mental health. “There are positives to enjoy and inevitable negatives that are best avoided,” the We’re the Millers star wrote. “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.”

Before saying a “heartfelt thank you to everybody who has watched Bandersnatch and for their responses (whatever they may be) to the material we created,” Poulter noted that in “light of my recent experiences I am choosing to take a step back, of sorts, from Twitter.” He didn’t elaborate on what “experiences” he’s referring to, but the BBC noted “some people commenting on Bandersnatch called Will ‘ugly’ for his appearance” on Black Mirror.

“I don’t want to appear unappreciative of all the amazing support I have received online for which I am genuinely so grateful, nor do I want my disengagement with social media to be at the expense of any of the organisations I am lucky to work with,” Poulter continued. “So I will still be posting occasionally for and with @AntiBullyingPro @leap_cc @MayMeasure and @bptcompany among others. 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 ended the note with a Bandersnatch reference, writing, “This is not the end. Consider it an alternative path. With love, Will.”

Many of Poulter’s 365,000-plus followers backed his decision to leave social media, including Star Wars actor John Boyega (he knows a thing or two about bad so-called “fans”), who tweeted, “Best thing you can do mate, well done.”

Here’s the complete note.