20 Things Every Marvel Fan Should Know About Sebastian Stan

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There is no shortage of powerhouse actors who have made a name for themselves in the Marvel Universe. And while Sebastian Stan's character of The Winter Soldier may not be starring in movies like Chris Hemsworth's Thor, he is still one of the most talked-about characters.

And as you'll read, it may only be a matter of time before you're going to see a movie that puts Sebastian Stan in the lead role. Even if Chris Evans has to step away for Stan to come and pick up his shield.

But regardless of if Sebastian Stan steps into the mantle of Captain America, as many people may expect, his contract with the Marvel Universe that extends over 9 movies should give an indication that Marvel has big plans for Stan. And even though that's one of the longest contracts given out to any actor, Marvel would still be silly to not think about re-upping Stan again.

Especially considering the recent news that Stan had been hand-picked by Leonardo DiCaprio to star in the upcoming film, Beat The Reaper. Not to mention his outstanding performance in I, Tonya that some argue left even Margot Robbie's Oscar-nominated performance in the dust.

Before you think life came easily to Sebastian Stan, you'll also get some insight on his life such as the 2.5+ year period where he faced rejection before getting hired as an actor and his first ever job in the movie...theater business. We'll also make sure to get into all the gritty details of his transformation into Bucky Barnes including his workout at the gym and what key foods (including coffee!) his trainer used to help him look his best.

He Signed a 9 Movie Contract

Sebastian Stan signed one of the longest contracts of the Marvel Universe when he agreed to a 9 movie deal. As it stands, he has only officially appeared in 3 movies (all Captain America's) and also has a very brief and uncredited cameo in Black Panther that probably doesn't count as one of his "movie roles".

Which means that if Marvel wants to, they can definitely have a long run with Stan that doesn't see him putting down the super suit anytime soon. Especially considering the main core of the Avengers is only locked into Infinity War and the yet to be titled (though logically, Infinity War: Part 2) Avengers 4 film.

Stan must have been very confident in the material to sign such a long deal.

How He Feels About Filming The Avengers

When you watch these actors in the Marvel movies, it definitely looks like everyone is having a fantastic time on set. This is something that we can verify is at least the case when Sebastian Stan is around. When describing the vibe of the movie set on these huge epics with Collider, Stan stated,

"It’s chaotic, but it’s great. That’s another insane juggernaut. It’s a war. It’s chaotic, but it’s fun. Anytime you get down there, there’s a lot of jokes and a lot of pranks. It’s a family."

With so many actors being so comfortable in the roles that they've had for, in some cases, over a decade now, no wonder people are having so much fun. Stan and co-star Anthony Mackie said that one of their favorite targets to tease was Tom Holland.

He'd Love a Stand-Alone Film

One of the entries on our list is dedicated to the fact that Sebastian Stan wouldn't mind teaming up with another superhero for their own run at a superhero movie. But when Stan was talking to Esquire, he also expressed his extreme level of interest in potentially getting a movie where the only superhero on the screen that people know and love is Bucky Barnes.

"I don’t know when—knock on wood—that would be an amazing experience. I’d be up for it whenever. There’s definitely a lot there to be explored. It’s fun, and the guy has got some identity issues," said Stan.

We're sure Marvel is ecstatic that one of their biggest actors is ready for however big a role they decide to write for him in the future.

He Could Be The Next Captain

There are heavy rumors that Chris Evans' time with the franchise may be coming to an end. If that's the case, you shouldn't be shocked to see that mantle get passed down to Sebastian Stan.

Fans who have watched the deleted scenes of Captain America: Civil War may be even more convinced of this considering there is a scene where Bucky utilizes the shield, as well as uttering the line,

"I've got to get me one of those."

The scene may have been deleted, but the implications of it being filmed remain! When Stan was asked outright by MarketWatch on his thoughts on taking over the mantle, he stated, "It’s out of my hands. It’s out of my jurisdiction and that’s fine. But whatever decision they’ve got up next for me, I’m happy to comply."

His Gym Routine

Sebastian Stan teamed up with trainer Don Saladino to try and put on the necessary muscle mass needed for the role of Winter Soldier. When talking about the workout routine, Saladino stated,

“Every day we kicked off with a heavy lift. There is this amazing muscle engagement that you can just feel when you pick up a big weight. I am not saying it needs to be strenuous to the body, where your system is freaking out. It just needs to feel heavy.”

Saladino also went on to say, “I threw in a lot of gymnastic movements before we even started training. Before every workout, there was about 20 to 30 minutes of functional movement. Fun bodyweight exercises like this got us warmed up but also got us excited to train.”

His New Arm Is Inspired By Wakanda

While we don't know much about the new appendage that Bucky will be sporting in Infinity War, director Anthony Russo has given some insight,

"For everyone who has seen Captain America: Civil War, they know that Bucky was taken in by T'Challa in Wakanda, and so I think they, you know, we catch back up with him after he's been there for a while and if there is an influence on his arm it may perhaps have to do with that country he's been spending time in."

As fans who watched Black Panther and stayed until the end of the credits, they would have gotten a brief shot of Bucky in Wakanda. Bucky already knew how to kick some serious tail, throw an impressive new appendage and you can confidently say that Bucky should be back and kick more ass than ever before.

He Will NOT Be The White Wolf (Or Will He?)

Many people had started talking about the potential of Sebastian Stan's character of Winter Soldier making the transition to the character going by the name, White Wolf. But when talking about the role on Instagram, Stan shot down the rumours,

"Nah. Always winter baby. Never jump to conclusions too quick," as well as saying, "Bucky Barnes doesn’t throw off any shackles until he actually does. Love the enthusiasm though.”

Despite this, the magazine Entertainment Weekly did state, “Sebastian Stan’s rehabilitated assassin now goes by White Wolf. It’s intriguing to see a man whose memories were scrambled, wiped, and rebuilt paired with Pom Klementieff’s alien mind-reader.”

While it makes sense that Stan wouldn't want to give away a potential key storyline like this, perhaps the conflicting nature of these reports will leave you even more intrigued to see him on screen.

What His Biggest Challenge In The Universe Is

There are many moments where Sebastian Stan is required to express a lot of emotion, while not saying very much at all. This means a lot of his acting is relying on listening and reacting to others. When talking with Backstage.com, Stan admitted this was one of his biggest challenges, though he did reveal why he is so successful at it.

"The trick is to shut off your brain. 'Be interesting! Do something interesting! You’re staying too long in the same angle!’"

He continued with, "It has to be about courage and you have to deal with that part of your brain that likes to edit and censor you. Maybe some don’t have that. I, however, do.” We're sure it also helps that Stan has portrayed the character on several occasions now and can look back at his past work for help.

He Steals The Show In I, Tonya

There are many talented actors in the Marvel universe, but nobody has perhaps put that talent on display more effectively than Sebastian Stan.

Take in point one of the best movies from this past year I, Tonya. The movie was praised by critics not only for the performance of Margot Robbie, but also Sebastian Stan who plays her on-again, off-again lover, Jeff Gillooly. While Stan failed to pick up a nomination for Best Supporting actor at the Academy Awards, many people thought his exclusion was one of the biggest snubs of the event.

When talking about the role and his reaction to first coming across the script, Stan stated,

"From an actor’s perspective, the script was like finding gold. Not a lot of things like this come my way. It had this documentary style and so many funny elements, but also these very scary, violent sequences. I’ve never played anyone that was a real person before, so that excited me."

He Was Hand-Picked For a New Movie

There were talks for years that the novel, Beat The Reaper, was going to be made. But it seems like it's finally going to get the go-ahead, and a big part of the reason why is Sebastian Stan. It's being reported that Leonardo DiCaprio, who will produce the film, was influential in selecting Stan for the role. The movie will be directed by Gore Verbinski.

The film follows Stan as an ER doctor whose patient recognizes that he used to work as a hitman for the mafia; leading to some bloody consequences after people come to try and put him down for good.

Stan is no stranger to getting down and dirty for the role and there is every reason to believe he's going to knock this role out of the park.

Marvel Pushed Him Out Of His Comfort Zone

Sebastian Stan looks very comfortable in the role of the Winter Soldier now, but it definitely took him some time to get used to the part. When talking with ThePlaylist about how much his role in I,Tonya caused him to step into a new character, he compared it to how he felt when he first stepped into the Marvel universe.

"And I felt that I’d been getting that somewhat with Marvel. That kind of like, “Get out of your comfort zone.” Marvel basically taught me how to fight, you could argue."

With several Marvel movies under his belt, not to mention other winners like I, Tonya, it should be clear why producers are comfortable allowing Stan to take on roles that require him to step out of his comfort zone.

He Knows His Version Of Captain America Would Be Different

As rumors continue to circulate that Chris Evans may be bowing out of the Marvel universe in the near future, rumors are going to increase that Stan will take up the role.

But when discussing the possibility with TheMarySue, Stan made sure to let fans know that while he's into the role, his interpretation of the character would definitely differ from Evans',

“I mean, yeah I would love that one day, absolutely. I don’t know when that day would be, and I just think … it would be a very different Captain America you know, you wouldn’t be able to have the same Captain America as you have right now because he’s a different guy.”

And while some people will surely be sad to see Evans step aside, you should still have all the confidence in the world that people will love and accept Stan's interpretation of the character.

He Went 2+ Years Without Being Cast

People from all walks of life go and enjoy the Marvel movies. And while you may think these actors have it made in the shade, don't think that they didn't get to where they are without a lot of hard work.

Following his graduation from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, Stan admitted he went close to 3 years without booking an acting gig. Said Stan when talking about how he handled rejection,

"I always look at auditions as not even getting the job as much as I’m just trying to connect with this casting director so they remember me for next time,”

Let's hope his perseverance is able to help inspire you in your own life. His first major break came when he landed a reoccurring role on the series King.

He's Teaming Up With Nick Fury

Sebastian Stan has several movies on the horizon, but Marvel fans may be the most interested in the one that also brings Samuel L. Jackson into the mix. This is the case with The Last Full Measure which is set to come out in 2018.

The movie stars Stan as an investigator who works for the Pentagon and is tasked with trying to convince Congress to award a medal of honor to a medic who saved upwards of 60 lives during the Vietnam War before perishing in battle. As a result, he became the first ever man to be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and later became the first-ever recipient of the Air Force Cross medal.

While Jackson won't be reprising his role as Nick Fury in Infinity War, he is currently filming scenes for Captain Marvel.

He's Fine With People Shipping Him And Captain

The Marvel universe is so beloved that it's perhaps only natural that fans can run with their own scenarios as to what should happen. In some scenarios, fans have definitely not been shy about pairing up Captain America and The Winter Soldier for a little training behind closed doors.

When asked his thoughts on the potential relationship, Stan stated,

"Look, man, I think it’s great. Movies are for people to relate to in whatever way they want. No one here is ever going to point a finger and say what’s right and wrong. For me, it’s like, Awww. It’s cute, it’s great. If someone takes the time to think about that, that's great. I don’t think of the character that way, though. But there’s no right or wrong answer."

Who He Works The Most With

There are tons of potential characters in Infinity War that could team up for some hilarious and memorable moments. But when Sebastian Stan was asked which character he ended up doing the majority of the filming with, he answered Anthony Mackie's character, The Falcon.

Cinemablend.com reports him saying,

"Fortunately, there's a lot of kind people that point to where to look and who to follow. I haven't met even half of the people in this cast yet. I've done the majority of my screen time with my friend, Anthony Mackie."

It's definitely fortunate that Stan described Mackie as one of his friends! Though we're sure there are also some actors that are in the series that Stan wishes he would have had the opportunity to act alongside.

His First Job Was In The Movie...Theater Business

When you go and see Sebastian Stan in Avengers: Infinity War, you are surely going to be surrounded by people. Which means that that the ushers who have to help make sure the place is looking great from showing to showing are going to need to have superhuman speed. Not to mention the fact that you are probably going to have to deal with some lines.

Perhaps you'll be a little bit tidier and less rude when you realize that the next "Sebastian Stan" may be the person picking your popcorn off the floor. When talking about the first job that Stan ever had, he stated to marketwatch.com,

"My first job was in a movie theater. I worked at Cinema 6 in New City, New York. I was an usher. I sold popcorn. And then I moved into working for H&M (laughs).

He'd Love To Do a Movie With The Falcon

There is no shortage of characters in the Marvel universe that fans would love to see get their own shot at the big screen with their own movie. Which means that while both Winter Soldier and the Falcon have had influential roles in the Marvel Universe, it was perhaps only inevitable before people started clamouring for a potential movie featuring the two of them.

When talking about the possibility with ScreenRant, as well as the style of the movie, Stan stated,

"We absolutely can. Absolutely. I mean, the right people to make that happen are certainly within feet from us right now. To me, it’s like Martin Brest film classic, Midnight Run, you know. It’s really just sort of in my head, like, 48 hours or a buddy comedy from the ’80s or the ’90s. That’s how I see it.”

What He Ate For The Role

Sebastian Stan knows first-hand that one of the most important parts of keeping your body looking good is making sure you are eating properly. When discussing his diet in the past, Stan has admitted to eating roughly 8 smaller meals over the course of a day.

Sebastian Stan's trainer, Don Saladino, also opened up about what some of those particular foods were in Men's Health,

“One of the elements that people have the most problem with is getting in good fats. For Sebastian, his body worked best with avocado, coconut or MCT oil and almond butter. We didn’t really stray from that, because when you find something that works, you want to stick with it.”

Saladino also recommended chicken and turkey, while suggesting people stay away from fish. Saladino also admitted that before every workout Stan would go and have a cup of coffee, "A little caffeine is actually great before a workout, as long as you’re getting enough rest and the grounds are as organic as possible.”

He Didn't Read The Script For Infinity War

The Russo brothers recently released a photo urging their fans not to spoil the Avengers experience for fans. They know that as hard as they try, leaks are going to happen and emerge online, but they can do their best to stop it.

One person who won't be able to be fingered for any wrong-doings is Sebastian Stan. Because if you asked Stan how the movie ends, there's a good chance he wouldn't be able to tell you. At least unless the last page of the script involves his character.

When talking about shooting the film, Stan revealed he wasn't handed a script containing only his scenes.

“I didn’t read a script for the last movie, so I was kind of in the dark. Which is always okay for the Winter Soldier.”

Stan went on to say, “I think there’s just an element of trust, it’s a family system and at this point, I feel like between the writers and the Russos everyone kind of guesses their next move so to speak and I feel like they know very well what I’m going to be bringing,”