After 15 years playing Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sebastian Stan is finally feeling the industry shift in his favor. In a candid conversation with Collider, the Oscar nominee opened up about how his recent string of bold, character-driven films has put him on the radar of the directors he's long admired.
Stan's latest project, Fjord, is a collaboration with acclaimed Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, a partnership that's been simmering for a decade. The film, which premiered at TIFF, stars Stan as Mihai Gheorghiu, a devout Christian family man who relocates his family from Romania to a remote Norwegian village. His wife Lisbet is played by Renate Reinsve, and together they navigate a community that views their strict religious practices with suspicion. When allegations of abuse surface, the story blurs the line between genuine concern and prejudice.
For Stan, the role was a chance to fully immerse himself in a character unlike any he's played before. He lived in the actual village where filming took place, rarely removing his character's glasses or distinctive haircut even off set. "I didn't even think twice about it," he said. "We were living, essentially, in that house. We were living in that village that you see in the movie."
That physical transformation proved liberating. "These sort of different looks that these last couple of movies have required, I have found to be quite liberating," Stan explained. "It really is sort of just like a door opening into another world for a minute. It reinforces that belief system when you don't recognize yourself sometimes."
Stan credits films like Fresh, A Different Man, and The Apprentice for shifting the industry's perception of him. "I'm certainly finally getting to meet the type of directors that I've always wanted to work with," he said. "I think finally they're paying a little bit more attention to me than they used to."
He's quick to acknowledge the role timing plays in an actor's career. "Timing really is a huge piece of every movie's puzzle," he noted. "It is people being aware of you, but it's the right timing and the right project, and this sort of was serendipitous in a way."
While Stan's Marvel tenure gave him a platform, he's now relishing the chance to explore more complex, challenging roles. His recent choices reflect a deliberate move toward auteur-driven cinema, and the results are earning him critical acclaim.
For fans of Stan's Marvel work, his evolution is a reminder that even the biggest franchises can be a launching pad for more personal projects. As he continues to collaborate with visionary directors, it's clear that Sebastian Stan is just getting started.
