Sebastian Stan talks candidly about his role as Donald Trump

Sebastian Stanbest known for his role as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently stepped into one of his most challenging roles yet: portraying a young man. Donald Trump In the movie “The Apprentice,” written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali Abbasi.

The film delves into the story of Trump’s rise as a New York City real estate mogul in the 1970s and 1980s, exploring the ambition, power struggles and personal differences that shaped the beginning of his career.

Sebastian Stan’s photography offers a close look at Donald Trump’s formative years, capturing the complexities of the man who went on to become one of the most polarizing figures in modern political history.

At the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, where Stan accepted the award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in A Different Man, he was asked what his most challenging role to date was.

Without hesitation, he pointed to the “apprentice.”

“Without a doubt, the man in orange, right? Donald Trump is definitely the toughest,” Stan said. the people, With a wry smile before acknowledging the challenges of his Golden Globe-winning role. “And that doesn’t take away from why I’m here now and talking to you. And I think that in itself is really difficult. There was a big risk in terms of what he’s talking about and trying to walk in the shoes of someone else who is more ill, like Adam Pearson. So that had its challenges.” Special too, and I wanted to do it right.

Stan continued, Which reflects the weight of playing such a controversial character. “But when I look back at the sleepless nights and the responsibility I feel I have — and still feel — it’s about ‘The Apprentice’ and wanting to do my best to honor the president’s oath and provide more perspective on something I think we all inevitably have to do.

When the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024, it was met with praise and controversy — and those reviews continued after its official release in October 2024. Its unflinching depiction of Trump’s personal and professional life includes a deeply disturbing scene. The film revolves around Trump, played by Stan, and his first wife, Ivana, played by Maria Bakalova.

One of The scenes are inspired by Ivana Trump’s 1990 divorce testimonyShe described a painful encounter with her then-husband. “On one occasion during 1989, Mr. Trump and I had marital relations, where he behaved very differently toward me than he had during our marriage,” Ivana said. The Guardian. “As a woman, I felt violated… I referred to it as rape, but I didn’t want my words to be interpreted in a literal or criminal sense.”

After the premiere in May, Stephen Cheung, Trump campaign communications director, issued a statement to the people“We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from the alleged filmmakers,” he claimed.

Referring to the rape scene, Cheung added: “This garbage is pure fiction, serving to perpetuate lies that have long been debunked.” “This ‘movie’ is a completely malicious libel, should never see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a place in the direct to DVD section of the bargain bin at a soon-to-be-shuttered discount movie store. It belongs in the dumpster fire.”

During the November 2024 show in Los Angeles, Sebastian Stan revealed that he had been invited to participate diverse’The series featured popular actors on the cast but ultimately were unable to participate due to difficulties in finding a suitable pairing. The frank confession you conveyed BuzzFeedhighlights the challenges actors can face when dealing with projects with complex or sensitive topics.

“They were too afraid to go and talk about this movie, so I couldn’t do it,” Stan said at the Nov. 19 event. “It doesn’t matter, it’s okay. I’m not pointing the finger at anyone, I have to do a lot of great things.

Stan explained that no single individual is responsible for this missed opportunity. Instead, he suggested that actors and publicists may have been reluctant to participate in discussions about the film’s themes. “We couldn’t get past the publicists or the people representing them because they were too afraid to talk about this movie,” he explained.

The famous actor was nominated twice at Sunday’s ceremony: once for his role in The Apprentice and once for A Different Man, winning the latter award over such prominent contenders as Jesse Eisenberg, gabriel labelle, Hugh Grantjesse plemons, and Glenn Powell.

In his award acceptance speech, Stan addressed the profound impact of A Different Man and the societal attitudes it confronts. He described the film as “not easy” and stressed the need for greater understanding and representation.

“Our ignorance and discomfort about disability and disfigurement must end now,” Stan said enthusiastically. “We have to normalize it and continue to expose ourselves to it and encourage acceptance in our children. One way we can do this is to continue to support inclusive stories.

Both “The Apprentice” and “A Different Man” are now available for rent or purchase on demand, allowing audiences to experience the powerful performances and important narratives that Stan brought to life on screen.