Who was Gary Poulter?
Gary Poulter was an American street performer and actor who starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the 2013 film Joe. He played the role of Wade, the abusive alcoholic father of Gary, a 15-year-old boy who befriends Joe, a troubled ex-con. Poulter was homeless, living on the streets of Austin, Texas, when he was cast in the film by director David Gordon Green, who was looking for authentic faces for his rural drama. Poulter had no previous acting experience, except for being an extra in the TV series Thirtysomething in 1987. He impressed Green and Cage with his natural talent and charisma, and delivered a stunning performance that earned him critical acclaim and a posthumous award from the Austin Film Critics Association.
What was his life like before the film?
Poulter had a troubled and turbulent life, marked by addiction, mental illness, and violence. He was born in Upland, California, in 1959. He joined the Navy at 17 and served on a ship in Japan, where he learned Japanese and went AWOL for a year and a half. He was court-martialed and dishonorably discharged. He drifted across the country, working for a traveling carnival, doing street performances, and getting involved in drugs and crime. He was diagnosed as bipolar and had a history of throwing his siblings down the stairs when he was young. He also suffered from skin cancer and lung cancer. He dreamed of becoming an actor and wrote scripts and poems on his laptop, which he carried with him everywhere.
How did he die?
Poulter died before the film’s release, on February 10, 2013. He was found dead at the edge of Lady Bird Lake, a river-like reservoir in Austin. His death was ruled a result of drowning with acute ethanol intoxication, as determined by a medical examiner. He was 53 years old. Green dedicated the film to Poulter, and said that he hoped that the film would be a tribute to his life and talent. Cage also expressed his sadness and admiration for Poulter, saying that he was a “beautiful person” and a “genius actor”. Poulter’s sister, Maria MacGuire, said that she was proud of her brother’s achievement, and that he finally got to live his dream.
