Sebastian Stan and Paul Rudd fought Thanos together in Avengers: Endgame. But there was a time when the Winter Soldier wanted to be more like Ant-Man. Stan’s early roles often cast him as a negative character, which led to him being labeled a bad-boy actor. The Gossip Girl actor was not happy with this typecasting and wanted to explore a broader range of roles.
Stan made his debut as a child actor in the 1994 film, 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance. The Fresh actor’s first notable role came as a troubled teenager who terrorizes New York City in the NBC series, Law & Order.
Sebastian Stan Wanted To Be More Like Paul Rudd
Following his Law & Order villain role, Sebastian Stan found himself repeatedly cast in negative-shaded characters. Notably, he played the antagonist in The Covenant and Hot Tub Time Machine. He also took on the role of frustrated, bad-boy characters in Gossip Girl and Kings. By the time he was cast as Captain America’s best friend, he had grown tired of being typecast in the industry.
In a photoshoot for Flaunt Magazine, the s*xy villain posed for some steamy photos alongside several models. Stan also had a quick chat with the magazine where he shared his growing frustration. Sebastian Stan wanted to feel more like Paul Rudd, who had established a reputation for being the lovable goof in the industry. Stan shared with Flaunt (via Just Jared):
“I seem to keep ending up with these bad boy characters. I don’t understand what’s going on. I walk the street in New York feeling like I’m Paul Rudd or something, but apparently no one else sees it that way.”
Before becoming the well-meaning, child-like Ant-Man in the MCU, Paul Rudd was Hollywood’s go-to guy for romcoms. Rudd’s frequent collaborations with director Judd Apatow led to some of the most memorable characters in romantic comedies. Rudd was also named Sexiest Man Alive in 2021 by People’s Magazine, proving that he could handle both the looks as well as the dorkiness.
Despite Being Typecast, Sebastian Stan Brought Something Different To Each Character
Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes had a very complex character arc throughout the MCU, and Stan captured these transitions very convincingly. Despite being typecast in negative roles, Stan managed to bring a unique touch to each character he played. The Apparition actor constantly challenged himself to avoid repeating the same character traits. In his Flaunt interview, Stan shared:
“I just hope that I can look at certain movies where I’m like, ‘I did my job in terms of fleshing out real people’ – whatever they were or whatever they cared for – and I challenge myself enough to not just end up always doing the same thing.”
Following his Avengers stint, Stan pursued more diverse roles, like the ones in Pam & Tommy, The Martian, Fresh, and Sharper. The Bucky / Winter Soldier character will be further explored in the upcoming Marvel film, Thunderbolts. Sebastian Stan’s next lead role will be in the psychological thriller film, A Different Man.
