Will Poulter joined director Adam Meeks and real-life therapist Annette Deao for a behind-the-scenes discussion of their Sundance drama 'Union County' at Variety's Anatomy of a Film event. The film explores the opioid crisis through a court-ordered rehab program in rural Ohio, blending professional and nonprofessional actors from the recovery community. Poulter highlighted the project's respectful approach to a sensitive topic.
'Union County,' writer-director Adam Meeks' Sundance drama, follows brothers Cody Parsons (Will Poulter) and Jack (Noah Centineo) as they enter a court-ordered drug rehabilitation program in rural Ohio. Inspired by Meeks' 2020 short film, the feature incorporates real participants from the recovery community as nonprofessional actors, emphasizing authenticity over traditional storytelling.
Poulter, who dropped his British accent for a Midwest drawl with the help of dialect coach Sonja Field and local immersion, praised the film's origins. 'The fact that it didn’t really start with a story and then a search for a place, but rather the story that was being told was a reflection of the real work that was being done,' he told Variety. Meeks developed the project after his uncle introduced him to a local drug court judge six years ago, leading to collaborations in Bellefontaine, Ohio (pronounced Bell Fountain).
Central to the film is Annette Deao, a therapist with over 20 years in Ohio's adult recovery court, who transitioned from a small role in the short to a larger one in the feature. 'Annette is the heart and soul of this program and of recovery efforts in Ohio,' Meeks said. Deao, with a background in theater and music, bonded with the cast during production, including a mulch-throwing session and tie-dye party at her farm. 'We broke bread together; we laughed together; we threw mulch together,' she recalled.
The hybrid narrative balances fiction and nonfiction to capture recovery's challenges without exploiting participants. Cinematographer Stefan Weinberger noted the trust built over years of visits, allowing honest portrayals. Poulter and Centineo lost significant weight for their roles, immersing themselves in the community. Meeks aims to break down lines between fiction and nonfiction, fictionalizing core elements for intimacy while observing real struggles.