Sebastian Stan, widely known for his role as Bucky Barnes (The Winter Soldier) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), recently opened up about a surprising crossover between two of his characters. In an interview with British GQ, Stan revealed that his portrayal of a young Donald Trump in the upcoming film The Apprentice may have unintentionally influenced his performance in Thunderbolts.
Stan shared that he went straight from filming The Apprentice, directed by Ali Abbasi, to reprising his role as Bucky Barnes. The transition wasn’t as seamless as he had hoped, admitting that some of Trump’s mannerisms may have carried over into his Marvel character. “I went off to Marvel after The Apprentice,” Stan explained. “And we were doing scenes, and I would do something, a thing or two, and be like, ‘F---! This is still living somewhere.’”
In Thunderbolts, directed by Jake Schreier, Bucky Barnes is part of a morally complex ensemble that includes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Antonia Dreykov (Olga Kurylenko), and the mysterious Bob (Lewis Pullman).
Physical Transformation and Setbacks
Stan faced an additional challenge when returning to the role of Bucky Barnes—shedding the weight he had gained to play Trump. He worked hard to get back into superhero shape, only to discover that Thunderbolts was temporarily shelved due to the writers' and actors' strikes in the summer of 2023. “I’m f---in’ 41,” he said with a sense of frustration. “I just worked pretty hard to get in shape here!”
Taking on Donald Trump: A Risky Role
Stan also reflected on his decision to take on the role of Donald Trump, admitting that he had initial doubts. He told Entertainment Weekly that he wasn’t sure he was the right fit for the role and even received warnings from friends and family. “I had people tell me I don’t look like him. I had people tell me that it’s not safe for me to do it,” Stan said. “I had people say that I shouldn’t try to alienate half the country.”
Despite these concerns, Stan dove into the character with a mix of curiosity and caution. He acknowledged that he often feels intimidated when taking on challenging roles, saying, “It’s funny, I felt similarly about a few things I’ve worked on. My initial reaction is, ‘Wow, how the hell am I going to do this?’”
Excitement for Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
In addition to discussing The Apprentice and Thunderbolts, Stan voiced his enthusiasm for Robert Downey Jr.’s rumored casting as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. “I hope I’m in a scene with him,” Stan said. “Is there any other guy that could pull that off? I don’t know, probably not. After Tropic Thunder, is there anything that guy can’t do?”
Upcoming Releases
Fans of Sebastian Stan won’t have to wait long to see him in action. The Apprentice is set to hit theaters on October 11, 2024, while Thunderbolts is slated for release on May 2, 2025.