Sebastian Stan sparked an online backlash after warning that America was in a “really, really bad situation,” with critics accusing the “Apprentice” star of being an out-of-touch Hollywood elite who is disconnected from everyday Americans.
Stan, who stars as Donald Trump in the 2024 biopic, spoke about the current state of America while in Cannes to promote his new film, Fjord.
“Honestly, it’s no laughing matter,” he told Variety when asked what he thought about his past work on “The Apprentice” now that President Trump is in his second term. “it’s not.”
“I think we’re in a really, really bad situation, I really do,” Stan added. “And to be honest, if you look at what’s going on, yes, if you’re talking about media consolidation, censorship, intimidation, lawsuits that seem endless and don’t really go anywhere. You know, the writing was on the wall. We encountered all of that in the movie.”
The actor recalled the controversy surrounding The Apprentice before its release at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
“Three days before the festival, we weren’t sure if the film would be shown at the festival,” Stan said. “So maybe people will pay more attention to that movie and I think it will stand the test of time because of that. But we went through all of that right before Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert and all that, so I wish it hadn’t turned out like that.”
However, not everyone agreed with Stan’s dark assessment of the country, with critics arguing that the Marvel star was out of touch with the reality facing most Americans.
“These idiots live in a bubble,” one X user commented. “Real Americans don’t think like this.”
“Oh yeah. A millionaire is telling people how horrible this country is. People are oppressed, censored, and have no hope. By the way, please pay $18 for a ticket and see my movie,” another wrote.
One comment read: “The opinions of the elites don’t matter at all. Elites are people who live in guarded multi-million dollar homes, gated communities patrolled by security guards, have multi-million dollar incomes and have no connection to the average citizen. They are too out of touch with reality.”
Some users praised the “Thunderbolts” star for raising concerns beyond partisan politics.
One user wrote: “It’s not Trump, it’s the entire super pack system.” “Stop getting distracted by Trump. He’s a symptom of something bigger. You’re frustrated by the lump and ignoring the cancer…”
One added: “Wow, this might be the stupidest comment section I’ve ever seen.” “I thought Americans were finally waking up to Trump, but only idiots seem to be offended by Sebastian’s valid statements.”
Stan’s comments came in the wake of Javier Bardem’s decision to enter politics while promoting his film The Beloved. Bardem accused world leaders, including President Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, of exhibiting “toxic male behavior.”
