Happy Birthday, Sebastian Stan! Our Staff Shares Their Favorite Moments

Conny
7 Min Read

August 13 marks the day of a very special someone’s birthday – 37 years ago, Sebastian Stan, known to most as The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was born. Whether he came into your life as the Mad Hatter in Once Upon A Time or as an upper class New Yorker in Gossip Girl, Sebastian has built a dedicated fanbase over the years with not only engaging roles and projects, but charm and humor we all value and love. In the years since his first Marvel movie, Sebastian has had many great opportunities to work on exciting projects and it doesn’t seem like he’s stopping anytime soon!

We at Nerds And Beyond have just celebrated him in an extensive article outlining some of his important work and roles, but want to take the opportunity of this birthday to share some our favorite Sebastian moments, memories and projects. From all of us at Nerds And Beyond, happy Birthday Sebastian Stan!

Conny:

If I had to choose my favorite quality of Sebastian’s, it would be his ability to light up a room, no matter the size. He manages to bring joy and an ease to any situation, no matter if it’s a small hotel room in a press junket or a huge convention hall with thousands of people. He has a genuineness about him that I have rarely witnessed in an actor and it’s what makes him so good at his job, too. His roles over the years have made me empathize, have made me scared or nervous, have engaged me in a way emotionally only few characters and roles have managed in the past. And because I wrote an entire article about all the roles except Bucky Barnes, I want to take a moment to say how much the way he plays this character impresses me. He brought so much vulnerability and emotion into such a small role that Bucky became one of the absolute fan favorites in the MCU. Sebastian manages to portray emotion through just a look in a way I’ve rarely seen in any other actor. His performance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier still brings tears to my eyes to this day, and I’ve seen that movie many times.

I’ve met Sebastian twice this year – and while it’s always surreal to finally experience the thing you have been waiting for for such a long time, it still exceeded all my expectations. I might not have been able to have a full conversation with him, but I got to meet him and see him meet other fans. The love and compassion he shows his fans is so inspiring to see. From what I’ve heard, no fan was truly disappointed after meeting him, because he tries to make those few seconds count and because he manages to make fans feel special, even just for these limited moments. Seeing him on stage, interacting with people I’ve known and met at conventions for years was so refreshing and it was a joy to watch him enjoy it so much. I really hope I get to meet him again soon to tell him more about how following him and his career has impacted my life, but I’m also thankful for the experiences I already had.
Happy Birthday, Sebastian! I hope you have the best day.

Image Courtesy of Staff Photographer Mandi Lea Photography

Lindsey:

“Who the hell is Bucky?” There is no doubt in my mind that Sebastian Stan will forever be one of my favorite actors. His talent knows no limits, which can easily be discerned by familiarizing oneself with his lengthy filmography. It has been a truly incredible journey watching him grow from roles like Gossip Girl’s suave Carter Baizen, to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s beloved Bucky Barnes.

One of the things I respect the most about Sebastian is how humble and kind he has remained throughout his rise to stardom. He speaks with a raw authenticity and has an unwaveringly gracious attitude towards fans, interviewers, co-stars, and everyone in between. His convention panels and interviews are always enjoyable to watch.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Sebastian once, and I wholeheartedly look forward to the next opportunity I get to do so again in the future. In the meantime, I’ll be eagerly waiting to watch one of the many upcoming film projects that he’s working on. Happy birthday, Sebastian!

Image Courtesy of Staff photographer Mandi Lea Photography

Anna:

I’ve only had the pleasure of meeting Sebastian once but it is the most memorable photo op I’ve ever had. We both totally embraced the awkwardness of the whole thing and ended up with a secret BFF handshake. I will never forget how fun that 30 second encounter was! Happy birthday Sebastian!

Rachel F:

One of the many joys in my life is watching press tour interviews between Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan for two reasons: the first being that you never quite know what to expect and the other is that it brings out a side we rarely see. The Sebastian who is this overly excited, dorky goofball and knows the right balance when it comes to banter. Often he appears on James Cordon flirting with Sharon Stone or in photo-ops with fans where the limit of poses doesn’t exist and he’s up for simply anything because he cares and treats fans like any other normal folk he would come across in his personal life. He’s contributed to various charities, one of which is UNITAS which seeks to combat human trafficking.  Underneath it all, he’s humble, a tad shy and doesn’t quite know how he got so lucky to have the life that he does. Overall, he’s just a stand up human. Happy birthday, Seb. I hope the year that follows treats you well.

Nerds and Beyond is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Share This Article
By Conny
Conny joined her first fandom at the tender age of three and somehow never stopped finding new things to obsess about and love. Her current love is everything Marvel, especially two characters who tend to be frozen at one point or the other. From Drag Race to Harry Potter or musical theatre, as long as it makes her smile (or cry), it’s probably her thing.
Leave a comment