Entertainment
The Marvel Star With The Best Chance To Be Remembered For Something Besides Playing A Superhero
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Recently, Sebastian Stan gave an interview to the Stronger Podcast where he acknowledged that Marvel “really helped” his career but that starting in these superhero movies was only “step one.” While he had nothing but nice things to say about his costars, I couldn’t help but compare his career aspirations to big names like Robert Downey Jr. and Ryan Reynolds. Those two seem happy to let Marvel define their careers, and Stan’s refusal to be typecast gives me hope that his best work is still ahead of him and that he will be remembered by future audiences for far more than his time as Bucky Barnes.
Life After Marvel
Stan was very candid in his interview, stating that “The Marvel stuff… really helped me grow as a person and helped me grow as an actor,” giving him “a family” and “a sense of belonging.” Nonetheless, he is determined “to offer something different than before” with roles outside of the superhero movies that made him famous. By way of illustration, he expressed how “lucky” he felt to star in movies like A Different Man and The Apprentice, roles that he admittedly might not have gotten without the clout that came from being a major actor within the MCU.
His performance as Donald Trump in The Apprentice was particularly buzzworthy, snagging the actor an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He was also nominated for three different Golden Globe awards, ultimately taking home the trophy for Best Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama. These and other major nods (including nominations for a BAFTA and an Independent Spirit Award) make one thing abundantly clear: Sebastian Stan is one of the best actors currently working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Stuck in the Marvel Trap
Ironically enough, that’s a big part of why I’m happy he doesn’t want to be typecast as a superhero actor for his performances (even though he’s very, very good in them). Other actors essentially owe their mainstream success to Marvel, but they seem hesitant to leave the fold to pursue other endeavors. The best example of this is Ryan Reynolds, whose last memorable role outside of a Marvel movie was an uncredited bit part in Bullet Train.
Another example would be Robert Downey Jr., who had previously squandered his mainstream success before Iron Man rehabilitated his public image. Since Iron Man died in Avengers: Endgame, he’s only had two non-Marvel theatrical roles: Dolittle (a vanity project that bombed) and Oppenheimer (a hit film, but one that he notably didn’t headline). Now, the only thing on this talented actor’s plate is more Marvel: he’ll be starring as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and there are even rumors that he will continue to appear as Iron Man after the MCU’s upcoming reboot.
Stanning The Stan
To put it bluntly, this is the fate that I hope Sebastian Stan avoids because he’s far too talented to make superhero movies until he has an AARP card. In between Marvel movies, he has already proven himself in several quirky roles that showcased his range and highlighted how much Kevin Feige has been underutilizing the actor’s prodigious talents. These roles already brought him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe, and the sky seems to be the limit for an actor who keeps surprising us with one killer performance after another.
Right now, Sebastian Stan refuses to be typecast, which is commendable in the extreme. Fellow MCU actors like Scarlett Johansson did their best work after leaving the comic book movies behind, and I can’t help but look forward to Stan’s career when Kevin Feige is firmly in his rearview mirror. Until then, Stan will have to do the next best thing: being the best actor in a cinematic universe that is growing less relevant by the day.
