Sebastian Stan Recalls Being Told It Was Unsafe to Play Donald Trump, Shares What He Has in Common With Politician

Sebastian Stan opened up about playing Donald Trump in his new movie The Apprentice.

The 42-year-old Marvel star will bring the former president to life in the movie, which premieres shortly before the 2024 presidential election.

In a new interview, he recalled being warned away from the project when it came up. Sebastian explained what ultimately drew him to the role, how he got into character and what he thought about the politician. He even revealed something that they have in common.

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Speaking to EW, Sebastian said that he did not think that he could play Donald when the offer came through.

“My initial reaction is, ‘Wow, how the hell am I going to do this,’” he recalled.

Others were also unsure if this project was a good decision for him.

“I had people tell me not to do it,” he admitted. “I had people tell me I don’t look like him. I had people tell me that it’s not safe for me to do it. I had people say that I shouldn’t try to alienate half the country.”

All of the concerns wound up being “weirdly motivating” for him in the long run.

Sebastian said that he used the role to help tell Donald‘s story. For him, research was a key step to learn more.

“I have always felt there was something to the man that needed to be heard,” he told the outlet. “If you do the research, there’s a lot that you can understand. I thought about what may have been a driving force in his life, separate from the gimmicks and the lips.”

Through his research, Sebastian realized one thing that they had in common: an “innate need to succeed.”

“I understood that drive to rise, to overcome at whatever cost, and to win. I understood that simply from my own very, very small, humble beginnings with the American dream,” he shared. “We love a winner in this country. It’s a fact that, to me, felt relatable in many ways.”

The actor recently revealed how much weight he gained for the role and recalled filming a very controversial scene.