The year of Sebastian Stan started a little earlier than January 1, it began with the reveal of his Men’s Health cover, which was an early Christmas present for fans and a milestone for him. In his interview, Stan talked about the struggles and successes of his career as well as his fitness journey. True to his personality, it wasn’t just a spread of appealing photos, the release also included a video where he showed his sense of humor and the ability to not take himself too seriously – both of which are important qualities in a Hollywood star.
And a Hollywood star is what 2020 will finally make him. Although the past years have brought many milestones to his career, they have all been but a build-up to what this year will bring.
Sebastian Stan started his career in the early 2000s, with several guest roles and some career-shaping character arcs on TV-Shows like Kings (2009) or Gossip Girl (2007). His breakthrough, however, was when he landed the role of Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Back then the Marvel Cinematic Universe was not the cultural phenomenon it is today, but only four movies young in a list of what should become the highest-grossing franchise in modern cinema history. The role of Bucky Barnes (a.k.a. The Winter Soldier) has accompanied Stan throughout his career since 2011. Cameos included, he has starred in five Marvel movies. Moreover, his role as Bucky Barnes is one of the first milestones this year, when he and co-star Anthony Mackie (who plays The Falcon a.k.a. Sam Wilson) will be the leads of the first Disney+ Marvel exclusive TV Show The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. According to Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, the Disney+ shows will have the same production value as the Marvel films, promising a new experience and a new approach to characters which have not had the time in the spotlight — like Bucky and Sam. Both of them have been fan favorites since their first appearance in the MCU, and both Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie are known for their chemistry as actors and individuals, making a show led by them a smart marketing and character choice. Currently in production, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is set to be released in autumn this year.
“He honored all of us by serving.” Inspired by the incredible true story, #TheLastFullMeasure is in theaters January 24. pic.twitter.com/Vdh4hRTDSZ
— The Last Full Measure Film (@LFMFilm) January 15, 2020
But even before fans can get more Bucky Barnes content, Stan will celebrate another accomplishment — his first leading role. In The Last Full Measure, he will play Pentagon employee Scott Huffman. Next to top-billed actors such as Marvel colleague Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris and Christopher Plummer, he will bring the true story of a soldier from the Vietnam war receiving a Medal of Honor in this war drama directed by Todd Robinson.
Sebastian Stan has consistently shown in the past years that he chooses roles based on the appeal of the character as well as diversity in the production team, which is shown in projects like I, Tonya (2018) and We Have Always Lived In the Castle (2019).
Adding to his first leading role, there are at least two more projects fans can look forward to — the Netflix production The Devil All The Time and Endings, Beginnings, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. In The Devil All The Time, Stan will star alongside Marvel colleague (and according to him, arch-nemesis) Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård and Elizabeth Scanlen in a psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel by Donald Ray Pollock. Endings, Beginnings, on the other hand, will show a different genre. Directed by Drake Doremus and starring Shailene Woodley and Jamie Dornan, this romantic drama film will tell the story of a woman dealing with heartbreak and caught between two men.
There are undoubtedly new exciting projects on the horizon for Sebastian Stan, who in 2020 will prove that he has a hand in choosing roles that reflect well on him and his craft, giving fans and audiences worldwide the opportunity to watch him shine. We can’t wait to witness the world see what we as fans have known all along, this is an actor to watch.