Sebastian Stan Calls Donald Trump “Hypocritical” In New Interview
Sebastian Stan debuted as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011. His character’s journey has been marked by turmoil, transforming from Captain America’s loyal sidekick to a complicated figure grappling with his identity as the Winter Soldier. The arc includes appearances in significant Marvel entries such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Related: Sebastian Stan Finds Marvel’s Bucky Challenging After Playing Trump
Since his portrayal as Bucky Barnes, Stan has appeared in many successful films. In his most recent film, The Apprentice, he portrays Donald Trump at the beginning of his real estate career.
The Apprentice has sparked significant debate due to its unflattering portrayal of Donald Trump. Centering on Trump’s formative years in the 1970s and 1980s as he navigated the real estate landscape with the dubious support of attorney Roy Cohn, the film delves into themes of ambition, manipulation, and moral ambiguity. Sebastian Stan, portraying a younger Trump, received attention for his performance, which critics have described as compelling yet controversial.
Related: Sebastian Stan’s Surprise Return? New Rumors Heat Up Around Bucky Barnes
During the recent premiere of The Apprentice at the BFI London Film Festival, Sebastian Stan did not shy away from addressing ex-president Donald Trump directly. He called Trump “hypocritical,” particularly criticizing Trump’s attempts to censor the film while outwardly professing his support for free speech.
“If you have any inkling of interest, go and really ask yourself: ‘Who is this man? Do you really know? Do you really trust this person to lead a country?’ He’s been trying to censor this movie, and at the same time, he claims that he acknowledges free speech … I can’t think of anything more hypocritical. So at the end of the day, it’s about him as a character. Forget the politics and just go in there and use your instinct and ask yourself: Do you trust this man? That’s what the movie is about.”
In a somewhat surprising reflection, Stan linked characteristics of his iconic role as Bucky Barnes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to traits exhibited by Donald Trump. He suggested that both figures, though positioned differently within their respective narratives, evoke themes of identity and moral complexity.
Trump, meanwhile, called the film, “a cheap, defamatory and politically disgusting hatchet job, put out right before the 2024 Presidential Election, to try and hurt the Greatest Political Movement in the History of our Country.”
The complexity of Bucky’s character stands in stark contrast to the straightforward narratives often associated with superhero films. As audiences await Stan’s return as Bucky in the upcoming Thunderbolts project in 2025, the discussions surrounding his portrayal of both Bucky Barnes and Donald Trump underscore the evolving relationship between actors, their roles, and the narratives shaping societal perceptions today.
What do you think of Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Donald Trump? Should the movie have been released at a different time? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
