Alum Sebastian Stan plays a young Donald Trump

Theater alum Sebastian Stan (BFA’05), perhaps best known for his role as Bucky Barnes in Marvel’s Captain America and Avengers series of films, is now the lead in two controversial films: The Apprentice, in which he stars as a young version of former President Donald J. Trump; and A Different Man, as an actor whose face changes after an experimental treatment.

He told The Star-Ledger that his years at Mason Gross were formative.

“Rutgers and Mason Gross School of the Arts is a big part of my life,” he told reporter Amy Kuperinsky. “It’s where I really, like truly, got to know acting and the history and everything. I had great teachers there. I had great classmates. I love the program. It’s dear to my heart.” Stan added that he is “really, really grateful” for his time in the Theater Department. “I think it went a long way for me and I think about it a lot.”

Stan is garnering positive reviews for his latest roles, including this one, from ABC News: “Stan plays Trump with a blazing commitment that nails every nuance,” they say, adding that he “avoids cheap imitation to show us this version of Trump building a hard shell over his feelings.”