Sebastian Stan is one of those actors who surprises in every role he chooses. He broke out as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, in the Marvel Universe and later transformed into the cheeky Tommy Lee for the Pam and Tommy series. He will next play none other than a young Donald Trump in Ali Abbasi’s new film.
And this Friday he left everyone with their mouths open in another radical transformation in A different man, the third film directed by Aaron Schimberg, which is competing in the official section of the Berlinale. In it he plays Edward, a lonely actor who suffers from neurofibromatosis and decides to participate in an experimental project that could radically improve his appearance. He strikes up a friendship with his new neighbor, Ingrid, a young and outgoing Norwegian with playwright aspirations played by Renate Reinsve. But he is very shy and knows that with her appearance he will never be able to win her over.
The medications he takes little by little take effect, his skin transforms and one night a miracle happens. His new and attractive face gives him confidence and he decides to put an end to his previous existence with a new name and a new profession. Until he discovers that Ingrid is auditioning to premiere a play based on the friendship he had with her and, suddenly, a competitor appears, Oswald, a man with a face disfigured by tumors, but very sure of himself and with great social success.
The film plays with masks to question the audience about the meaning of identity. “If I had been born different, if it could be fixed, what would I change?” Schimberg, who was born with a cleft palate, asked the press. The director already worked on his second feature film with the British performer Adam Pearson, and wanted to repeat with him in a story whose main motivation came from investigating how our appearance defines us.
Stan has pointed out that it is very important to accept yourself as you are. “The sooner the better”. And he has been blunt when faced with a question from a journalist who defined his character as a “beast.” “I have to criticize you a little for your choice of words,” he said. “Part of the importance of the film is that we often don’t have the right vocabulary. It’s a little more complex than that, and obviously there are language barriers and such, but “beast” isn’t the word. Ultimately, it’s interesting to hear this point because I feel like that’s what the movie is saying: we have these preconceived ideas. “We are not educated to understand this particular experience.” The actor assured that for his transformation he spent two hours a day in the makeup room. “It is a change that affects you on a physical and emotional level.”
A Different Man, backed by the successful studio A24, first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim, highlighting the film’s ability to address complex issues surrounding disability, perception and identity. Themes that in the film are combined with very black humor and some unpleasant scenes.
“It would have been very easy to make this movie a little simpler and more moralistic. But I think the public is much smarter than others give it credit for,” added Pearson. “A good movie will change what the public thinks for a day, but a great movie will change the way the public thinks for a lifetime.”
