Marvel's Sebastian Stan Almost Played A Major Star Trek Movie Character

Sebastian Stan is about to have a very busy awards season. The man best known to devotees of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Bucky Barnes (a.k.a. the Winter Soldier) is earning raves for his portrayal of a young Donald J. Trump in Ali Abbasi's biographical drama "The Apprentice." Stan could very well earn further plaudits for his performance in "A Different Man," which already won him a Silver Bear for Best Performance at last February's Berlin International Film Festival. Here's hoping he doesn't overdo it, because after the Oscars are handed out next March, it'll be time to start promoting his role in the MCU extravaganza "Thunderbolts*".

Stan has had a fairly blessed career to this point. He's worked with some of the best directors to ever do it (Jonathan Demme, Ridley Scott, Steven Soderbergh), and has that steady MCU franchise gig to keep him busy should the roles ever inexplicably dry up. As for now, everything's coming up Sebastian (much to the consternation of former President Trump) — which seems like it's always been the case. 

But, like any other actor, Stan does have some choice roles that got away. One of those parts would have had him boldly going where, well, a whole bunch of actors have gone before.

Stan dropped by the Happy Sad Confused podcast recently, and revealed that he was up for a pivotal role in 2009's "Star Trek." How pivotal? We'll let Sebastian tell you:

"There were a couple things I didn't get that I really, desperately wanted. Captain Kirk for J.J. Abrams was one of the first things that I got very close to. I was really close and I had a screen test with him at Paramount studios and my manager had me do a separate photo shoot where I would try and replicate all of these William Shatner pictures just to send to [J.J.] to see how much I look like him and stuff. Didn't get it."

While I think Abrams made that right call by going with Chris Pine, I can absolutely see this. Stan would've been 29 at the time, and maybe a tad too fresh faced to play the fresh out of Starfleet Academy Kirk, but he's an incredibly versatile performer who can switch on the high-wattage charm when called upon. I think he could've charmed us past any notion that he was somehow too young for the part.

It's all good, though. Pine is very much in demand (and is now a director), while Stan could be taking home some hardware this fall and winter as awards season hits up.