Sebastian Stan on Why His ‘Best Work’ Has Been Opposite Female Co-Stars

Sebastian Stan is best known for playing Bucky Barnes opposite Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie in the “Captain America” and “Avengers” films, as well as on the Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” But in recent years, Stan has been doing his best work opposite female co-stars. According to the actor, that’s by design.  

“I’ve certainly felt that the work that I’ve done opposite some of these incredible actresses has been the best work that I’ve done,” Stan told Indiewire. “It all sort of started with ‘I, Tonya’ and Margot [Robbie] and that experience. After that, it was Nicole Kidman, Jessica Chastain, and then, recently, Julianne Moore—and Lily [James] and Daisy [Edgar-Jones], of course,” Stan adds, citing his projects “Destroyer,” “The 355,” “Sharper,” “Fresh,” and “Pam & Tommy.”

Stan has a theory as to why he feels drawn to working with women. And like many inclinations in life, it goes back to childhood. “Maybe I naturally gravitate toward [these projects] because I grew up with women—because I grew up with my mother, and she was a single mom for a while,” he said. “I don’t think about it. I just go instinctively where I’m pulled, and it just happens that [collaborating with women] seems to have generated the best results.”

In a practical sense, the actor believes that male-dominated sets don’t bring out his best work. “There’s a lot of ego,” he said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve thought more and more about what it is that I want from [my career]. And I think what I want from it is to be able to go to a work environment where I can collaborate and where I can feel that we’re all on the same team, and we all have a common goal and there’s support there, and there’s a generous spirit about it. And quite frankly, that hasn’t been as easy in an entirely male-driven environment.” 

Stan now asks himself a simple question before signing on to a project: “At the end of the day, it’s just like, where do you function at your best?” Perhaps it’s one all actors should consider before committing to anything, in work or in life.