Sebastian Stan says Hollywood’s too‘afraid’to talk Trump: the silent treatment comes with a red carpet

The actor behind The Apprentice says his peers are shying away from discussing the President-elect. Guess fear is the real star of the show. Sebastian Stan : A Solo Act in Hollywood ’s Trump Era Sebastian Stan : A Solo Act in Hollywood ’s Trump Era Sebastian Stan, known for playing the iconic Marvel hero Bucky Barnes, is now tackling a different kind of villain: Donald Trump . In The Apprentice , a biopic about Trump’s 1970s ties with controversial lawyer Roy Cohn, Stan says the actor community is too “afraid” to confront the film's most divisive subject—Trump himself. While promoting the film in Los Angeles, Stan revealed that he couldn’t find a single peer willing to participate in the Actors on Actors series with him, a popular feature in Variety Variety where top award contenders interview each other. Apparently, no one wanted to share the screen with him in the name of method acting … or maybe just good old-fashioned fear of a political hot potato. A Hollywood Wall of Silence "I couldn’t find another actor to do it with me because they were too afraid to go and talk about this movie," Stan said, adding that publicists and agents made sure the idea was dead on arrival. Sounds like a case of avoiding the elephant in the room—except, this time, the elephant is a very loud, very orange former reality TV star turned president. In confirmation, Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh told People magazine, "What Sebastian said is accurate." The publication had invited Stan to take part in their Actors on Actors series, but his fellow actors weren’t eager to face the Trump question. “They didn’t want to talk about Donald Trump,” Setoodeh explained. Stan Warns: Fear Could Become the Industry’s New Norm Stan doesn’t mince words about what this means for the industry. His take? If Hollywood becomes this uncomfortable with engaging on the topic of Trump now, it sets a troubling precedent for when he actually takes office. “That’s when I think we lose the situation,” he said. “If it really becomes like that—fear or that discomfort to talk about this—then we’re really going to have a problem.” Stan’s concern is that avoiding the subject will only deepen the divide between those who vehemently oppose Trump and those who voted for him. “If all it’s saying is you cannot keep casting this person aside, especially after they get the popular vote, should we not give this a closer look?” Sounds like Stan's not just playing a role here—he’s trying to start a conversation, too. But will anyone listen? Trump Responds: Cheap Shots and Defamation In typical Trump fashion, the President-elect wasted no time attacking the film and its creators. He dismissed The Apprentice as a “cheap, defamatory, and politically disgusting hatchet job” and called it “fake and classless.” Trump went on a rant on Truth Social, accusing the filmmakers of spreading "fake news" and attempting to harm his political movement. The icing on the cake? He called the people involved "HUMAN SCUM," a term we’re sure will go down in history as one of his most… diplomatic. “MAGAAAA2024!” Trump concluded. And there you have it: the man’s got a slogan, but apparently not a sense of humor. The Bigger Picture: Trump’s Shadow Looms Over the Industry Stan's message is clear: If Hollywood continues to shy away from engaging with Trump or his supporters, it risks turning a blind eye to a significant part of America. While some may see The Apprentice as a political statement, for others, it’s a chance to understand what drives such a divisive figure. The question is: will anyone dare engage with it? For now, the conversation seems to be on pause, leaving Stan to carry the torch alone in a world where the real drama is happening behind the scenes. As for Trump? He’s clearly already preparing for a full-on media battle.