Sebastian Stan Claims First Golden Globe for ‘A Different Man’

In a groundbreaking achievement, Sebastian Stan has won his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy for his role in the dark comedy, A Different Man. This marks a significant milestone in his career, especially as he had previously been nominated for his portrayal of Donald J. Trump in The Apprentice, but lost to Adrien Brody.

In A Different Man, Stan plays the character Edward, an actor with a facial disfigurement who undergoes an experimental treatment to change his appearance, only to find that it does little to advance his career. During his acceptance speech, Stan highlighted the importance of addressing the stereotypes surrounding disabilities, saying, “Our ignorance and discomfort around disability and disfigurement has to end now. We have to normalize it and continue to expose ourselves to it and our children, encourage acceptance.” He emphasized the need for more inclusive storytelling, acknowledging that making the film presented its challenges.

Directed by Aaron Schimberg and released by A24, A Different Man is a satire that follows Edward as he navigates life after his transformation. The plot thickens when he discovers that his former neighbor, played by Renate Reinsve, has written a play based on his life—but she no longer recognizes him and instead favors an actor with neurofibromatosis, Oswald, portrayed by Adam Pearson.

In addition to his win for A Different Man, Stan had another nomination this year for Best Actor in a Drama for his role in The Apprentice, which explores Trump’s relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn during the 1970s and ’80s. In reference to his experience with The Apprentice, Stan remarked during his acceptance speech that he felt privileged to be part of such a project.

Despite initial uncertainty about The Apprentice’s release due to Trump’s legal threats, it eventually premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was distributed by Briarcliff Entertainment in October. Stan reflected on the challenges of portraying such a controversial figure, stating, “For some reason, every time somebody said, ‘Don’t do it,’ it made me want to do it more.”

Concluding his heartfelt speech, he dedicated the award to his parents, saying, “This is for my mom, who left Romania in search of a better life and gave me everything, and for my stepfather, Tony, who took on a single mom and a grown-up kid. Thank you for being a real man. Golden Globes, I love you.”