Sebastian Stan Opens Up About His Role As Donald Trump

Sebastian Stan, greatest identified for his function as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, lately stepped into one in all his most difficult roles but: portraying a younger Donald Trump within the movie “The Apprentice,” written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali Abbasi.

The movie dives into Trump’s rise as an actual property mogul in Seventies and Eighties New York Metropolis, exploring the ambition, energy struggles, and private controversies that formed his early profession.

Sebastian Stan’s portrayal presents a more in-depth take a look at Donald Trump’s early life, capturing the complexities of the person who would later develop into probably the most polarizing figures in fashionable political historical past.

On the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, the place Stan accepted the trophy for Greatest Efficiency by a Main Actor in a Musical or Comedy Movie for his function in “A Completely different Man,” he was requested about his most difficult function thus far.

With out hesitation, he pointed to “The Apprentice.”

“Surely, the person in orange, proper? Donald Trump, undoubtedly the toughest,” Stan stated, per People, with a wry smile earlier than acknowledging the challenges of his Golden Globe-winning function. “And that’s not to decrease why I’m up right here proper now speaking to you. I believe this in itself is actually troublesome. There was an enormous threat when it comes to what it speaks to and making an attempt to stroll into any individual else’s footwear who has extra -osis, like Adam Pearson. In order that had its personal challenges as effectively, and I needed to do this proper.”

Stan continued, reflecting on the weight of playing such a controversial figure. “However when it comes to once I look again on the sleepless nights and the accountability that I really feel I carried—and nonetheless really feel—it’s about ‘The Apprentice’ and eager to do the most effective that I can to honor the boss division and to supply additional perspective on one thing that I believe we’re all inevitably having to do.”

When the movie first premiered on the Cannes Movie Pageant in Might 2024, it was met with each reward and controversy — and people opinions continued after its official launch in October 2024. Its unflinching portrayal of Trump’s private {and professional} life features a deeply unsettling scene involving Trump, performed by Stan, and his first spouse, Ivana, portrayed by Maria Bakalova.

Considered one of the scenes draws from Ivana Trump’s 1990 divorce deposition, the place she described a distressing encounter along with her then-husband. “On one event throughout 1989, Mr. Trump and I had marital relations during which he behaved very in a different way in the direction of me than he had throughout our marriage,” Ivana stated, as reported by The Guardian. “As a lady, I felt violated … I referred to this as a rape, however I don’t want my phrases to be interpreted in a literal or legal sense.”

After the Might premiere, Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump marketing campaign, issued a press release to People, claiming, “We might be submitting a lawsuit to handle the blatantly false assertions from these faux filmmakers.”

“This rubbish is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies which have been lengthy debunked,” Cheung added, referring to the rape scene. “This ‘movie’ is pure malicious defamation, mustn’t see the sunshine of day, and doesn’t even deserve a spot within the straight-to-DVD part of a discount bin at a soon-to-be-closed low cost film retailer. It belongs in a dumpster fireplace.”

Throughout a November 2024 screening in Los Angeles, Sebastian Stan revealed that he was invited to take part in Selection’s famend Actors on Actors sequence however finally couldn’t participate resulting from difficulties find an appropriate pairing. The candid admission, reported by Buzzfeed, sheds gentle on the challenges actors can face when tackling initiatives with complicated or delicate material.

“They have been too afraid to go and speak about this film, so I couldn’t do it,” Stan shared on the November 19 occasion. “And it doesn’t matter, that’s OK. It’s to not level a finger at anyone — I’ve acquired to do a number of nice issues.”

Stan clarified that no single particular person was guilty for the missed alternative. As an alternative, he recommended that representatives and publicists might have been hesitant to interact in discussions concerning the movie’s themes. “We couldn’t get previous the publicists or the individuals representing them as a result of they have been too afraid to speak about this film,” he defined.

The acclaimed actor was nominated twice at Sunday’s ceremony: as soon as for his function in “The Apprentice” and as soon as for “A Completely different Man,” successful the latter over notable contenders similar to Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel LaBelle, Hugh Grant, Jesse Plemons, and Glen Powell.

In his acceptance speech, Stan addressed the profound affect of “A Completely different Man” and the societal attitudes it confronts. Calling it “not a simple” film to make, he emphasised the necessity for better understanding and illustration.

“Our ignorance and discomfort round incapacity and disfigurement has to finish now,” Stan stated passionately. “We’ve got to normalize it and proceed to show ourselves to it and encourage acceptance in our youngsters. A technique we will do that’s by persevering with to champion tales which are inclusive.”

Each “The Apprentice” and “A Completely different Man” are actually accessible to hire or purchase on-demand, permitting audiences to expertise the highly effective performances and essential narratives Stan has dropped at life on display screen.