Sebastian Stan on Donald Trump and Marvel's Thunderbolts

When Sebastian Stan greets you, there's a sincere warmth in his voice that makes you forget, if only for a moment, the intensity of the roles he's played this year. The 41-year-old actor is riding a wave of critical acclaim for his two very different but equally daring performances in “The Apprentice” and “A Different Man,” which earned him two Golden Globe nominations – a feat achieved for the last time by Ryan Gosling in 2016.

Last year, Stan proved once again why he is one of the most transformative actors working today. Whether it's donning prosthetics, exploring themes of self-acceptance in “A Different Man” or entering the psyche of one of the most polarizing figures in modern history in “The Apprentice,” Stan’s ability to disappear into a role is matched only by his determination. to tell complicated stories, whatever the consequences.

If “A Different Man” was a personal exploration, “The Apprentice” was a social experiment. Directed by Ali Abbasi, the film is a biographical study of the young Donald Trump, focusing on his formative years and the traits that would eventually define his presidency. For Stan, stepping into Trump's shoes was not just an artistic challenge but a minefield of public and industry scrutiny.

“This movie was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Stan told Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast. “Not just because of the complexity of playing Trump, but also because of the reaction it provokes. » Listen below.

From the controversy surrounding its financier to the polarized reception linked to its release in an election year, the journey of “The Apprentice” to the screen has been strewn with pitfalls.

Stan is refreshingly candid about the hesitations he faced in Hollywood, both during the film's production and afterward. “People told me not to do it,” he remembers. “They said it might alienate people, that I didn't look like him, that it was too dangerous. But for me, acting is about pushing into the uncomfortable… trying to understand humanity, even in the darkest places.

He carefully clarifies that “The Apprentice” is not about sympathizing with Trump but about understanding him. “I think people interpret understanding as an attempt to sympathize, and that's not the goal here. The film asks: Would you trust this man? Would you put your life in His hands?

Stan's deep dive into Trump's psyche revealed something even darker than he expected. “He gave people permission to lose their humanity – to behave in ways they couldn’t have before. And that’s what scares me the most,” Stan says. “The opposite of love is not hatred, it is indifference. And I worry about the indifference we are seeing now.

The negative reactions surrounding “The Apprentice” extended even to Stan's professional relationships. When invited to appear on Variety's Actors on Actors series, organizers had difficulty finding actors willing to partner with him because of his portrayal of Trump. Stan calls it a disappointing but unsurprising moment, emblematic of the unease many in Hollywood feel about publicly engaging with the film.

“It’s eye-opening how hesitant people are,” Stan says. “People have come up to me at parties to tell me it's their favorite film of the year, but when it comes to publicly supporting it, there's silence. This part was difficult.

There were, however, some positives. People like Paul Walter Hauser, Stan's co-star and friend in “I, Tonya,” publicly posted on social media a proposal to partner with him for the Actors on Actors segment. This support did not go unnoticed by Stan. “It was great,” Stan said, laughing. “Paul is someone I have always admired, and moments like this remind me of the camaraderie that still exists in this industry.”

With “A Different Man” and “The Apprentice” establishing Stan as a fearless actor, he turns to new challenges. He is currently developing a film adaptation of Ed Brubaker's graphic novel “Reckless” and is working on a project with acclaimed filmmaker Cristian Mungiu.

And then there's Marvel, of course. Stan is set to reprise his role as Bucky Barnes in the upcoming “Thunderbolts.” Describing the film as a misfit story in the vein of “The Breakfast Club,” Stan hints at the humor and camaraderie fans can expect. “It’s a weird group together, and I think people are going to love it,” he teases.

But for now, Stan is enjoying the quieter moments. Speaking ahead of the holidays, he struggled to find time for family and last-minute gift shopping. “I'm usually pretty good with gifts,” he said with a smile. “But this year it’s a little crazy. I'm going to set aside a day and figure it out on the fly.

During that conversation, he had no idea that a surprise Golden Globes win for “A Different Man” would be in his future. And it was well deserved.

Also in this episode, the panel talks about this year's Golden Globe Award winners and what that means for the upcoming Oscar race.

Listen to previous episodes of the podcast

Variety Awards Circuit Podcast

Variety's “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for lively conversations about the best in film and TV. Each episode, “Awards Circuit,” features interviews with top talent and creatives in film and television, discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you download podcasts.

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