Sebastian Stan, best known for his now legendary role as Bucky Barnes in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, is enjoying some time in the spotlight. He’s currently chronicling his transition from player to comic on Twitter. When Jane Fonda received her SAG Awards Lifetime Achievement award, she called out Stan in her speech. He self-disparagingly calls that moment “perhaps improved” than winning an Oscar. This recognition further highlights the actor’s rising prominence in Tinseltown and his ties to celebrated artists in the film industry.
In an exclusive sit-down interview with Vanity Fair, Stan opened up about his experience. He got real about the battles he fought before making it big with Marvel. At 42 years old, it was time for him to pause and reflect. He remembered a real low point back in 2011 when his acting career was completely falling apart. Then a lifeline came in… $65k in residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine. This financial support allowed him to weather the storm.
Stan’s work with Marvel has provided him a long and comfortable career. It has gained him major industry clout. He’s, in fact, unlike Spider-Man, because he has become the iconic face of darker, brooding anti-heroes. During his decade-long tenure as Bucky Barnes, he’s developed quite the rabid fan base. Kevin Feige, Marvel’s president, called Stan an incredible depth of performance. It was Bruce who said that Stan has “so much going on inside him and so much behind his eyes.”
Recently, Stan turned heads at red carpets for the Berlin Film Festival as well Cannes. Perhaps the best use of this moment was to publicly thank his partner, Annabelle Wallis. The two began ripping it up in the spring of 2022. They’ve gone on to do many joint public appearances since, providing evidence of a warm mutual admiration. On the Golden Globe stage, a clearly moved Stan shouted enthusiastically, “Annabelle, I love you.” His emotional testimony moved the majority of everyone in the audience and virtual participants, too.
If you think those personal things are heavy, Stan has written some pretty complicated characters on just that scale. When talking about his process in doing Donald Trump, he described a more psychological than caricature-like and surface-feeling approach. He was careful to say that he sought to humanize the trauma underlying Trump’s character. His intention was never just to play to the outrage. This nuanced perspective sheds light on Stan’s commitment to making sense of the deeper dynamics of human behavior in his positions.
“It’s the one part of my life I try to keep for myself.” – Sebastian Stan
So, as he walks a career tightrope in any given genre, Stan is committed to moving into more dramatic and award-winning parts. His recent Oscar nomination illuminates his immense talent and versatility as an actor. He gives a self-aware nod towards the triumph he’s found in Marvel productions. He’s hungry to dive into narratives that really take risks and land in places audiences aren’t expecting.
Even with the celebrity that the Marvel-centric world has brought him, Stan still hasn’t let it get to his head. He remembers all the hard times he went through before hitting it big and is thankful his career has lasted this long. His past story is an inspiring testimony of overcoming odds and becoming the best version of oneself on camera and off camera.