It’s About Damn Time We Took Sebastian Stan Seriously

You know Sebastian Stan. Even if you don’t realize you do, you’ve probably wanted to punch him during his time as Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl, been charmed by him (and later scared by him) as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier in Captain America, and reveled in his adorable ditziness in Logan Lucky. His recent turn as Jeff Gillooly in Tonya Harding biopic I, Tonya, however, has probably got you wondering how you slept on his potential as a serious actor for so long – but he’s been showing us what he’s made of for years. You just haven’t been paying attention.

Stan first began grabbing our attention around the time of the aforementioned Gossip Girl; while he didn’t star consistently, whenever his smooth-talking, smirk-wearing Carter Baizen appeared, he lit up the screen. You loved to hate him in all his sleazy glory, and it came as no surprise when he was cast in a slew of high-profile projects afterwards, including Rachel Getting Married and Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.His breakthrough (and the role that perhaps made him a mainstream name), however, came when he starred as Bucky Barnes in Captain America, the loyal best friend of Steve Rogers. As the doomed Bucky, Stan brought humanity and charm, and seamlessly transitioned to playing the villainous brainwashed assassin Bucky turns into in the sequels that followed. He’s not just dramatically talented, either; the guy’s got comedic chops, and his hilariously filthy turn in The Bronze is a testament to just how wild he’s willing to get. These performances – from a soapy teen drama to indie flicks and a massively successful superhero franchise – demonstrated early on that Stan was capable of carrying just about anything. And then came Jeff Gillooly.

In Craig Gillespie’s I, Tonya, Stan makes the perfect villain – but not in the way one might expect. Stan’s Gillooly is a mustachioed loser, a total bumpkin who initially seems to be well-intentioned, but he’s got a mean streak, the kind of temper Tonya has become accustomed to (and perhaps seeks out) thanks to her abusive mother. Stan totally plays against type here, but we believe every moment of it (even when we don’t want to). He’s perfectly capable of popping her across the face and becoming utterly despicable, but Stan manages to bring a surprising amount of empathy to the role – something most actors likely would have failed to do. There’s a complexity to Stan’s Gillooly, a depth that makes you wonder what his truth really is and how he ended up in this situation. You may certainly not be cheering for him in the end, but the balance he strikes between hothead and cool, collected (unreliable) narrator later is a feat to witness.

Stan likely won’t get all the attention he deserves for I, Tonya due to Margot Robbie’s star-making turn (and Alison Janney’s top-notch supporting role), but it will undoubtedly lead to more industry respect down the line – respect that is long overdue. He’s more than just a dreamboat here to fulfill your wildest theatrical fantasies. The next time you start to write Stan off, don’t. He’s well on his way to being the recognized as the A-list actor he’s been all along.