Sebastian Stan has opened up about his career struggles prior to securing the pivotal role of the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Stan disclosed that a $65,000 residuals payment from his role as Blaine in the 2010 film Hot Tub Time Machine was a lifeline for him. This financial boost came at a crucial time before he landed the part of James "Bucky" Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, where he starred alongside Chris Evans.
Stan recounted, "I was actually struggling with work. I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine."
Marvel Studios' president, Kevin Feige, expressed to Vanity Fair that despite Stan being relatively unknown at the time, the studio was eager to cast him as the Winter Soldier. Feige praised Stan's depth and potential, saying, "You could see that he has so much inside him and so much behind his eyes. I’ll never forget that. I said to Stephen Broussard, who was one of the producers on Captain America, 'He’s going to be a good Bucky, but he’s going to be a great Winter Soldier.'"
Since then, Sebastian Stan has reprised his role in multiple MCU films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), various Avengers movies, and most recently, Captain America: Brave New World. He is also slated to return as the superhero in the upcoming Thunderbolts. Furthermore, Stan's inclusion in the cast reveal for Avengers: Doomsday indicates that fans can expect Bucky to remain a significant part of the MCU for the foreseeable future.
