SEBASTIAN STAN

If you want an actor who can switch from a brainwashed comic-book assassin to massive award-winning indie dramas without breaking a sweat, Sebastian Stan is your man. The Romanian-born lad has put the hard yards in for years, transforming from a reliable background face into one of the most exciting and fearless actors in the business.

Most folks know him best for spending a decade playing Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, in those massive Marvel films and leading his own Disney plus spin-off. But while the massive superhero paychecks are nice, it’s what he does away from the blockbusters that shows he’s a proper class act. He completely shocked everyone by playing a brilliant, unhinged cannibal in the thriller Fresh, and bagged a load of award nominations for his roles in I, Tonya and playing Tommy Lee in Pam and Tommy.

Lately, he’s been absolutely flying and picking the boldest scripts in Hollywood. He put on a proper acting masterclass in A Different Man, won an Oscar nomination for playing a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice, and just made massive waves at the Cannes Film Festival starring in the heavy crime drama Fjord, which walked away with the big Palme d’Or trophy.

He’s not slowing down either, with a massive lineup that includes the giant Marvel crossover Avengers: Doomsday and landing the legendary role of Harvey Dent in The Batman: Part II. He’s a proper, hard-grafting talent who never picks the safe, boring option, and seeing his name on the box means you’re always in for a quality watch.

Insomniacs Trivia

• The Astrological School Play Fate: Long before he ever walked a Hollywood red carpet, Sebastian moved from Romania to New York as a kid. When he was at boarding school, he got a bit of a push into acting by starring in a school production of Cyrano de Bergerac. Funnily enough, his co-star in that exact same school play was none other than Jesse Eisenberg, meaning two future massive movie stars were sharing a tiny school stage together before anyone knew their names.

• The Winter Soldier Knife Trick Grind: To make his fight scenes look totally real in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sebastian didn’t just rely on stunt doubles. He bought a real prop tactical knife and spent months walking around his house doing complex flips and tricks with it. He got so obsessed with mastering the rhythm that he would practice the movements while watching telly, sitting in cars, and talking to his mates until it became total muscle memory.

• The Godfather Astrological Link: Sebastian has a deeply personal relationship with iconic director Francis Ford Coppola. He was actually baptized by the legendary filmmaker, who is a close family friend. Growing up with the bloke who directed The Godfather as your godfather gave Sebastian a massive appreciation for proper, classic cinema from a very young age.

Insomniacs Take

Sebastian Stan is just a class act who isn’t afraid to get down in the mud and play completely messy, complicated people. In a Hollywood full of safe performers who are obsessed with looking perfect and protecting their image, he actively hunts down characters that are bizarre, risky, and intensely human. Whether he’s swinging a metal arm in a massive superhero universe or steering a heavy, award-winning indie drama, he does it with absolute zero pretentiousness. He’s a massive credit to modern films, and he’s always a guaranteed safe bet.