Oct
17

Photo/Video/Audio: Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz (w/ Audio + Screen Captures)

Sebastian was on Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz this week. Below is the video and Screen Captures + the audio players.



Oct
17

News: Sebastian Stan, the interview: “If I met Trump I would ask him how he looks in the mirror”

Movie Player

While answering questions, Sebastian Stan approaches the webcam lens of the computer he is connected to. As if he were, in a certain sense, eliminating distances. Connected from a London hotel for our exclusive interview , he is in the midst of the promotional campaign for Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice , in which he plays none other than Donald Trump . A role, as they say, that is worth a career. An excellent performance by someone who could be considered one of the greatest contemporary actors.

The set, among other things, he shares with two other champions: Jeremy Strong in the role of fixer Roy Cohn, and Maria Bakalova who plays Ivana Trump. Sebastian Stan, for the entire twenty-four minutes of the interview (he was very generous, and that is not at all a common thing), thinks about the answers, takes a breath, weighs his voice. Like when he reflects on what the killer instinct of an actor is, given that in the film, the character of Trump himself, claims to have a deadly instinct “For me it is the truth, and how you make real what, instead, is not” .

Continue reading

Oct
17

Photos: Gala premiere of ‘The Apprentice’ in Copenhagen, Denmark

I’ve added 47 UHQ/Untagged of Sebastian at Gala premiere of ‘The Apprentice’ in Copenhagen, Denmark that took place last night. Thank you to Sandra for her assistance on most of this one. I believe this is the complete set of photos.

Oct
16

Photos: ‘The Apprentice’ NY Premiere (More)

I’ve added 25 more photos to the gallery in addition to the 99 UHQ/Untagged of Sebastian at “The Apprentice” Premiere in NY that took place on the 8th.

Oct
16

News: Sebastian Stan Says Elaine May Film with Dakota Johnson Needs Insurance Director: Anyone Want to ‘Shadow’ May for Her Last Film?

Indiewire – The “kooky” feature, which Stan likened to “The Birdcage” meets “When Harry Met Sally,” was first announced in 2019. But it needs a shadow director for the 92-year-old May.

After leading dark comedy “A Different Man” and Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice,” Sebastian Stan is slated for iconic filmmaker Elaine May‘s fifth and final feature, “Crackpot.” However, production is still waiting on a shadow director for the 92-year-old May.

Stan said during “The Big Picture” podcast that he is on board the project, which was first announced in 2019. Dakota Johnson is set to co-lead alongside Stan, but Stan said he still doesn’t know the status of the film — and he’s casting his net in hopes of helping May find a shadow director to insure the movie. It’s a common set practice with older filmmakers.

“I have this thing, I don’t know if it’ll ever get going,” Stan said. “I have this thing that Elaine May was going to direct. It was going to be her last film and her first film since ‘Ishtar.’ It’s this crazy, kooky comedy. It’s supposed to be with Dakota Johnson and myself … ‘The Birdcage’ [written by May] is one of my favorite fucking movies of all time, and that’s totally a comedy in the [same vein] of ‘When Harry Met Sally’… and all that great stuff. So I’m all over it. It’s just, weirdly, some things come together and other things you wait for.”

Stan added, “We’ve been trying to find a shadow director for Elaine May for the insurance company. So if anybody out there is hearing this and you want to fucking shadow Elaine May for her last film, let’s go do it!”

Guillermo del Toro most recently shadowed now-late filmmaker William Friedkin for his final feature, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” as an insurance director. Paul Thomas Anderson also famously shadowed Robert Altman for his last film, “A Prairie Home Companion.”

May, one half of famed comedy duo Nichols and May with late partner Mike Nichols, has directed four narrative films so far. She made her directorial debut in 1971 with “A New Leaf,” and later helmed “The Heartbreak Kid” in 1972, “Mikey and Nicky” in 1976, and “Ishtar” in 1987. She also directed the TV documentary “Mike Nichols: American Masters.”

“Crackpot” actress Johnson said in 2023 that she is also producing the feature.

“We are trying to get that done. It’s so hard to get any movies made ever, at all, but I’m producing it, and Elaine will direct it, and I’ll star in it,” Johnson said at the time, “and we’re working on casting.”

IndieWire has reached out to May’s representatives for comment. Details on the film’s plot are unknown so far.

Oct
16

News: After Playing Trump, Sebastian Stan Got Himself a Swoopy Heartthrob Haircut

GQ

Whether you’re in the process of growing out your hair or it’s just settled into a rut, all guys know the pang of your hair feeling blah. Maybe Sebastian Stan does, too!

Or did, at least. Over the course of his press tour for The Apprentice—a film in which he was unfortunately stuck with Donald Trump’s goose nest of a combover—Stan has helpfully modeled a fix for any and all cut boredom: add a little movement and Hollywood via some volume, length and movement in the front.

For Stan, his current cut combines some ultra-long pieces towards the front of his hair, graduating to the back, and some short sides. At the BFI London Film Festival on Tuesday, Stan gave us yet another glimpse at this excellent hair.

Stan has been rocking this particular flavor for some time now. Earlier appearances have seen it pushed back from the face in a more classic interpretation of the style, but for the last few, the 42-year-old has been letting it all hang out front.

The key is in those longer pieces. Stan’s stylist has done a good job creating volume, by working a mousse or a styling cream into the roots to add lift during its being dried (if we had to guess, via a blow dryer as the hair is brushed up and away from the root with a rounded brush). And then, each of those longer pieces are styled rakishly on either side, swapping a clean parting down the centre for something a little more devil-may-care. The combination of the volume at the roots and the styling over it over the part (AKA not on the natural side of the part that it’s growing from) means that the way it falls over his face is fun and not too try-hard.

It’s a little ’50s movie star, and a little ’90s Brad Pitt at the height of his hair powers. It has movement and height, but it doesn’t feel “done,” and it looks even better when you run your hands through it, and reset everything.

As it goes, this is a haircut that works remarkably well for anyone in the process of growing out their hair. While you let that front and back grow, keep the sides neatly trimmed and tucked behind your ears, until you’re ready for it to be cut into its final form.

Or, just leave it as is. As they say, if it works for Sebastian Stan…

Oct
16

News: Sebastian Stan’s Trump Impersonation in ‘The Apprentice’ Works Because It’s Not a Trump Impersonation

Collider

There was skepticism about the upcoming Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice ever since it was announced, as it seemed unlikely that any film about the life of one of the most controversial figures in American history would ever end up changing anyone’s mind. Beyond the fact that Trump’s entire life has been relentlessly covered ever since he first became a prominent businessman, there were concerns that any actor who took on the role would end up feeling like a comedic impression, similar to the performance that Alec Baldwin gave on Saturday Night Live in the lead up to the 2016 election. Although it would have been easy just to capture his instantly recognizable mannerisms, Sebastian Stan manages to capture Trump’s essence by showing the moments in his life that shaped him into such an influential figure.

‘The Apprentice’ Is More Than Just a Caricature

The Apprentice digs into a very specific period in Trump’s life, in which his father Fred (Martin Donovan), and the Trump Organization were being sued for allegations of discrimination in the development of apartment complexes. The film depicts a more desperate, vulnerable version of Trump who seeks out the mentorship of the legendary lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), who attained notoriety during the Cold War for being one of the prominent prosecutors of alleged communist spies in the United States. Cohn implores Trump to fight any legal or public relations battle that he can, and to never give into public pressure to apologize. However, Cohn does not realize that he would end up creating a monster, with Trump becoming even more vindictive as his quest for power becomes unquenchable.

Stan does not try to replicate all of Trump’s familiar phrases and physical tics, as it is very clear that he has not yet attained the confidence that would make him so successful as a reality television star. There was little point in telling a story about Trump if it was recounting events that a vast majority of the public was already familiar with, but The Apprentice digs deep into the dysfunctional core of the Trump family. Stan captures the animosity of a spurned child who seems desperate to please his father, even if that means crossing over any ethical boundaries; this includes ignoring the serious drug addictions that his older brother, Fred Jr. (Charlie Carrick) has been experiencing. The film’s most harrowing moments involve the dynamic between Trump and his first wife Ivana (Maria Bakalova), who would become an important figure within his empire. Stan makes it clear that Trump views Ivana merely as an object that he can discard as soon as he gets bored; although Trump has said some truly horrifying things in public, the sequences of domestic abuse in The Apprentice are a reminder of the facade that he has always put on.

‘The Apprentice’ Has Insightful Political Commentary

The Apprentice is an epic American tragedy that examines the culture that spurned Trump. Between the cuts given to the wealthy class and the dominance of corporations in the 1980s during the Ronald Reagan administration, Trump was able to fashion himself as a success story, even though he cheated his way to the top. Stan does an excellent job at showing the levels of self-denial that Trump goes through to convince the world that he is someone that should be viewed as a hero. Although it does offer some dark comedy, a scene in which Trump begins to think about the infamous “Make America Great Again” slogan deconstructs that making a phrase memorable is more important than giving it any value.

Stan’s performance is arguably the most memorable aspect of what is sure to be a divisive film, but The Apprentice is as much an indictment of capitalism as it is a criticism of Trump. The film suggested that by conducting himself with confidence and charisma, Trump was able to avoid facing any real consequences for the misconduct, misbehavior, and dishonesty that dominated his life. The Apprentice doesn’t necessarily capture the Trump of 2024, but Stan’s depiction of the role certainly feels like he could evolve into the controversial man who would change the fabric of American politics forever.

Oct
16

Audio: ‘The Brutalist,’ the Best Movies at the New York Film Festival, and ‘The Apprentice’ With Sebastian Stan!

Sean shares a recap of the best movies he caught at the 62nd New York Film Festival, including the heavy hitters at this upcoming Oscars, the latest installations from old masters and personal favorites, and the biggest surprises of the festival (1:00). Then, Ringer writer and Press Box host Bryan Curtis joins to share the myriad successes and failures of The Apprentice, Ali Abbasi’s character portrait of early Donald Trump’s rise to power in the New York real estate world and his complex relationship with lawyer and power broker Roy Cohn (50:00). Then, Sebastian Stan, who portrays Trump in the film, joins (1:30:00) to discuss how he chooses projects, what attracts him to playing characters who transform, and the long journey to getting The Apprentice in theaters. They also discuss his work in A Different Man, Aaron Schimberg’s new A24 movie about an aspiring young actor who undergoes a procedure to drastically alter his appearance in the hopes of improving his career prospects.

Oct
15

Photo/Video: ‘The Apprentice’ Press Interviews (+ some at BFI London) w/ Screen Captures

I’ve added more press interviews for ‘The Apprentice‘ along with interviews from the BFI Red Carpet today in London. Enjoy the update.

















Oct
15

News: Sebastian Stan Scolds “Hypocrite” Trump at ‘The Apprentice’ U.K. Premiere: “Do You Really Trust This Person to Lead a Country?”

The Hollywood Reporter – Stan, who portrays Donald Trump in Ali Abbasi’s new movie, was asked whether this film debuting so close to the U.S. election could sway voters: “He’s been trying to censor this movie, and at the same time, he claims he acknowledges free speech. I can’t think of anything more hypocritical.”

Sebastian Stan has branded former U.S. president Donald Trump a hypocrite who has attempted to “censor” his new movie, The Apprentice.

The Marvel actor spoke at the BFI London Film Festival premiere of Ali Abbasi’s movie about Trump’s rise to power in 1970s and ’80s New York — in which he stars as the real estate mogul-turned-Republican politician — with the teachings of mentor Roy Cohn (played by Jeremy Strong) guiding him on his ascension.

When asked whether this film debuting so close to the U.S. election could sway voters, Stan told The Hollywood Reporter: “I don’t know, but what I do hope is that people, regardless of their opinion, are curious enough to try to dig deeper. Because I think we’re living in a world where it’s so easy to be handed an opinion everywhere you turn. And I know a lot of people love social media, and that’s where they go for information and for things. You’re being told what to think. You’re being told what to do.”

But, the Marvel star continued, “If you have any inkling of interest, go and really ask yourself: ‘Who is this man? Do you really know? Do you really trust this person to lead a country?’ He’s been trying to censor this movie, and at the same time, he claims that he acknowledges free speech … I can’t think of anything more hypocritical. So at the end of the day, it’s about him as a character. Forget the politics and just go in there and use your instinct and ask yourself: Do you trust this man? That’s what the movie is about.”

The feature film opened in roughly 1,700 theaters across the U.S. last weekend after its debut in Cannes and pulled in an anemic $1.6 million in its first weekend. Trump lashed out against the film after the numbers came in.

“A FAKE and CLASSLESS Movie written about me, called, The Apprentice (Do they even have the right to use that name without approval?), will hopefully “bomb.” It’s a cheap, defamatory and politically disgusting hatchet job, put out right before the 2024 Presidential Election, to try and hurt the Greatest Political Movement in the History of our Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Sherman told THR: “It’s not surprising [that Trump lashed out]… You’ve seen the film, the first lesson that Roy Cohn teaches him is: attack, attack, attack. So Trump hasn’t seen the movie, but he’s clearly following the rules that are in the movie.”

Sherman also said part of the inspiration for this film was to show Trump as carrying on Cohn’s legacy, as sources who worked on the 2016 Trump campaign told him the businessman was just “using Roy’s lessons.”

The Apprentice received rave reviews and an 8-minute standing ovation after its Cannes Film Festival premiere in May.