Will Poulter Isn’t Sure He Could Survive a Boston Winter After Filming The Revenant

Will Poulter Photo by Twentieth Century Fox / Regency Entertainment / Monarchy Enterprises

The Revenant may not be set in Boston, but the film’s snowy tundra setting should look familiar to any locals who survived last year’s Snowpocalypse.

Directed by Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the film is based on the true story of 19th century fur trapper Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and his experiences on the American frontier. The flick also features Tom Hardy as Glass’ brooding nemesis John Fitzgerald as well as Will Poulter, who plays trapper Jim Bridger.

During a recent trip to Boston, Poulter admitted that he isn’t sure if he could survive one of the city’s brutal winters, even after spending weeks shooting in the harsh conditions of Calgary.

“I was very glad to see the sun after Canada,” Poulter said.

Check out what else the actor had to say about filming The Revenant, his thoughts on the whole “bear rape” rumor, and more.

After battling the elements during filming, do you think you could survive a winter in Boston?

You know what, I don’t know. The weather [in Boston] hasn’t actually been too bad. We’ve been pretty lucky. But I’m not sure. I think after that, certainly my tolerance for the cold is improved, but I’m not on the look out for any snow.

I’m sure you must be sick of it.

Let’s just say this, summer was welcomed this year. I was very glad to see the sun after Canada.

Are you sad you didn’t get a beard in the film?

I fully accepted that I cannot grow facial hair, but it is quite emasculating. Leo has a beard.

Is that his real beard?

Yeah, that’s all real. The man can grow a beard, for sure. The poor guy had to do so much makeup and prosthetics pretty much everyday, so it’s a good thing that he had his real beard because otherwise it would’ve added another half an hour onto his makeup time.

Leonardo DiCaprio Photo by Twentieth Century Fox / Regency Entertainment / Monarchy Enterprises

What did you think about the whole “bear rape” rumor? It seemed pretty ridiculous.

The fact that anyone would actually believe that there’s a scene of a sexual nature between a bear and a man in this movie is obviously not laughable because the topic is not remotely funny, but it blows my mind that anyone actually believes that. It’s kind of crazy and it’s a shame because the visual effects team, Leo, the stunts, Alejandro, and everybody who worked so hard to create something as, I think, brilliant as that scene is and there’s a cloud of silly hearsay hovering over it.

Was it challenging to shoot this film since it’s a very intense drama unlike some of your past work, like We’re the Millers?

Sometimes I’ve been more emotionally disturbed by the experience of shooting a comedy than a drama. After We’re the Millers, I think playing this battered loser who’s confidence was at zero for 90 percent of the movie, I did genuinely feel that way. I actually found We’re the Millers one of the toughest, if I’m honest, least fun experiences of my life, which is weird. It was such a huge opportunity for me to work with the people I worked with and I feel grateful to be apart of that, but it kind of messed me up. And with this, it was very tough and, emotionally, it was similar in that respect.

What was the biggest lesson you took away from this experience?

I think it reaffirmed something that I believed in and conceptually always had faith in which was that you’re most effective when you work as a team. I love that about filmmaking. I stopped playing team sports at 15-16 because of acting. I think I find a kind of new team sport in filmmaking in a way. This was easily the hardest thing I think anyone in the cast or crew has ever done, and so we really relied on one another to get through it and achieve what we achieved.

‘The Revenant’ hits theaters in Boston on January 8.

This interview has been edited and condensed.