Fans just can’t imagine the MCU’s Winter Soldier, Sebastian Stan, portraying the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump. Stan is cast in the role of a young Trump in the upcoming film The Apprentice. The production of the film kicked off towards the end of the last year, with Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi at the helm. The casting has raised a few eyebrows among Marvel fans, who claim that the project is a career killer for the actor.
Joining stan in the project are Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 voice actress Maria Bakalova and Emmy-winning Succession star Jeremy Strong. They are reportedly playing Ivana Trump and Roy Cohn respectively in the film.
Sebastian Stan’s New Role As Donald Trump Receives Negative Response From Fans
After starring in the critically acclaimed Hulu miniseries, Pam & Tommy, Sebastian Stan takes up another challenging role, that of Donald Trump, in the film The Apprentice (via Deadline). Stan’s new film comes from Award-winning director Ali Abbasi, known for Holy Spider and Shelley. Stan will portray a young Trump who builds a real estate empire in New York in the ’70s and ’80s.
Marvel fans are excited for Stan to return to his role as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier in the upcoming anti-hero team-up film Thunderbolts*. However, they were not particularly fond of the actor choosing to play Trump in a film project. They had a wide range of opinions on the casting, from outright hating it to discussing whether Stan will capture the essence of the character.
Fan reactions on X mostly were against the Fresh actor, with one questioning why Stan took up the role in the film. Other negative comments included “bad casting” and “no, why, ew”. Fans were also sure in the comments that Stan was flushing his career down the toilet with the new role. One fan also speculated that the Trump movie must be why Stan is absent in the upcoming MCU film, Captain America: Brave New World. Some fan reactions read:
Why did Sebastian stan even agree to this. His career is down the toilet now.
— lauren ❤️ (@groffschicago) March 31, 2024
Very bad casting
— Farrah (@slyxpk) March 31, 2024
No, why, ew
— Stephanie Bixler (@SoftyGMB) March 31, 2024
bro is finished
— Supa (@Supamaxxx) March 31, 2024
OOOHHH THIS IS WHY HE AIN’T IN THE NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA MOVIE
— RBSJ (@RBSJ88) March 31, 2024
The film comes at a time when the controversial former POTUS once again eyes his return to the Oval Office. The film’s name is reminiscent of the reality TV series that Trump hosted from 2004 to 2015. Recently, Trump was found liable for financial fraud by a New York state court, a judgment that he has appealed for (via The New York Times).
Sebastian Stan Has Played Real-Life Characters Earlier
It is not the first time for Sebastian Stan to play a role in a biopic. Stan played the role of Robinhood Markets CEO Vladimir Tenev in Dumb Money. He also played Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee in the film, Pam & Tommy. Stan also played the abusive spouse of figure skater Tonya Harding in the film I, Tonya. Playing Trump in a mentor-protege story was thus a piece of cake for the Avengers: Infinity War actor. According to Variety, the logline of The Apprentice reads:
“[The Apprentice is] an exploration of power and ambition set in a world of corruption and deceit. It’s a mentor-protege story that charts the origins of an American dynasty. Filled with larger than life characters, it reveals the moral and human cost of a culture defined by winners and losers.”
The film also explores the relationship between Trump and the infamous attorney Roy Cohn, reportedly played by Emmy-winner Jeremy Strong. Trump’s first wife Ivana also appears in the film, played by Maria Bakalova. Gabriel Sherman pens the script for the film, while Daniel Bekerman of Scythia Films, Jacob Jarek of Profile Pictures, and Ruth Treacy of Taylored Films serve as producers.
According to Variety, The Apprentice will be submitted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in May.
