Sebastian Stan grateful to Paul Walter Hauser for offering to do Actors on Actors interview

Sebastian Stan is grateful to Paul Walter Hauser for offering to do Variety's Actors on Actors interview with him.

The actor has praised his I, Tonya co-star and friend for standing by him amid the controversy surrounding his role as Donald Trump in the 2024 film The Apprentice.

During an appearance on Variety's Awards Circuits podcast, Sebastian shared his appreciation for Paul for volunteering to take part in the interview series, which sees actors sit down for one-on-one conversations about their personal and professional lives.

"That was awesome," he gushed. "Paul's someone I've always admired, and moments like that remind me of the camaraderie that still exists in this industry."

The Marvel star's comments come shortly after he claimed he couldn't take part in Variety's Actors on Actors interview series because he couldn't find a star willing to talk to him about the film, which chronicles Trump's rise as a real estate mogul in the 70s and 80s.

"I couldn't find another actor to do it with me, because they were too afraid to go and talk about this movie. So I couldn't do it," he said during a screening of the film in November. "We couldn't get past the publicists or the people representing them, because (they were) too afraid to talk about this movie."

Elsewhere in his interview with Variety, Sebastian reflected on the backlash the film has received since it was first announced.

"This film has been the hardest thing I've ever done," he admitted. "Not just because of the complexities of playing Trump, but because of the reaction it provokes."

The actor noted that people have been "hesitant" to praise the film.

"It's been revealing to see how hesitant people are," he stated. "I've had people come up to me at parties, saying it's their favourite film of the year, but when it comes to supporting it publicly, there's silence. That part of it has been tough."