In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, during a conversation between Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, Stan opened up about how life was before landing his now-famous role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe:
“…Because in 2011 after the first Captain America came out, about a month later I had a call from my business manager telling me I had a month left to figure out how I was going to pay my rent. So, perception is always interesting, isn’t it? Nobody ever knows what the f**k is really happening.” Now, though? “I’ll get your dinner, Anthony…Don’t you worry.”
If there is anything about Hollywood that the public is well versed in, it’s how cutthroat it can be to simply even get into the industry. Even the biggest actors of today were at one point living paycheck-to-paycheck, barely hanging on. It would seem that it’s a fate that not even Stan couldn’t avoid.
Thankfully, it would seem things are going a lot better for Sebastian Stan. One could only assume so, at least, given his part in the world’s second-highest-grossing film. Somehow, even after being a part of that, Stan is only going to see more success from here on out.
Reflecting on his 10th anniversary in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the 38-year-old actor said that it’s “bizarre to think about” but “a blessing they’re still willing to call me, I guess.”
In a recent cover story for GQ Hype, the actor, 38, discussed his new Disney+ show The Falcon and The Winter Soldier with the publication on Friday, saying it is Marvel’s ‘most relevant show yet’ for featuring Anthony Mackie as a black Captain America.
According to the actor, one big difference in the Mackie and Stan’s on-screen partnership in the series as opposed to the films is, “Actually, now we’ve got these longer scenes together, there’s a lot more dialogue between us.” You make it sound like that is a problem, I say. “Well, in a way it’s the bit that worried me the most. Not as an actor, per se, but as a fan of the character.” How come? “Well, Winter Soldier and Falcon have worked together best when they’ve had little to say to one another. We’re good at quips. So, now, what are they going to say to one another?”
This sounds somewhat trivial but Winter Soldier’s entire thing – as the man who has walked, run and generally caused mayhem in his boots since 2011 knows only too well – is a very nonchalant, 1950s sort of sullenness. “He’s been silent for, well, almost all the movies and that’s what made him cool. He was cool because he didn’t open his mouth, a sort of less-is-more, brainwashed assassin.
“For this show I had to find his voice, in all senses, and do it in a way that was timely to what is going on in 2021.” Timely, how so? Stan is emphatic: “Look, you can’t do a show that explores the title of Captain America without touching on some of the stuff we have seen on the news. In fact, I would argue this is Marvel’s most relevant show yet.”
Stan continues: “Race, identity, patriotism… these issues have invariably boiled over into all our lives these past 12 months.” As the actor tells me, these issues were already due to be dealt with, somewhat prophetically, in this new spinoff.
