Sebastian Stan Says Playing a Man with a Facial Disfigurement Alongside Adam Pearson 'Was All About Trust' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan on Jan. 21, 2024.Photo:Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Sebastian Stanis opening up about portraying a man withneurofibromatosisalongside British actorAdam Pearson, who lives with the rare genetic condition, in their new movie.In an interview with PEOPLE surrounding their A24 dramaA Different Man, Stan, 42, says Pearson’s life experience proved “incredible” in developing his character Edward, an aspiring actor who undergoes facial reconstruction surgery and subsequently grows obsessed with Oswald (Pearson), another man with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).“I was kind of gathering different pieces from different places. And a lot of Adam’s experience that he shared with me was really helpful in that regard,” Stan says of Pearson, who was diagnosed with the neurogenetic disorder that leaves his skin covered in thousands of thick, painful tumors, at age 5. “It’s very easy to work with Adam and I feel like we got along very quickly. I think with [filmmaker Aaron Schimberg] it was all just about trust and making sure that we were all on the same page. And once you have that, it’s just off and running, you know?“Pearson, who previously appeared in director Schimberg’s 2019 movieChained for Lifeand the 2013 filmUnder the Skin, tells PEOPLE he and Stan “had really frank, honest conversations” about their upbringings and life experiences over Zoom before production started in 2022.Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan in A24’s A Different Man.A24"Disfigurement and disability is unique in terms of you don’t get it until you get it. So I have to find parallels to help so I can get [someone’s] hooks into this and sort of process it differently,” he says. “And I always say that the two ways to lose your social anonymity in a society in 2024 are to either have some kind of disagreement or disability or to become a celebrity.““And so while [Stan] might not know the level of invasiveness, I feel with kind of pointing, stares and camera phones, he absolutely gets it from the other angle,” Pearson adds.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Though Pearson has a handful of acting credits to his name,A Different Manmakes for a larger role — and a higher-profile release — than his past films. The actor tells PEOPLE he has “been putting off [the movie’s release] in my mind for quite a while” prior to its press tour.“I sat down on the plane on Sunday and just thought, ‘Oh no, this is happening. It’s happening now,’ " he says. “And my family as a whole are a bit not fussed about it, which is good ‘cause it kind of keeps me humble and keeps me in check at home.“Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve and Adam Pearson in A24’s A Different Man.A24"I’m gonna enjoy this while it’s happening. If this is the end, I’ve gone out on a high,” he says, when asked where his acting career may take him next. “I’ve made some great friends. I’m going to be friends with [Stan] for the rest of my life, if he’s willing.““We’ll see what happens, but yeah —Kevin Feige, call me,” Pearson adds, jokingly referencing theMarvel Studiosexecutive and Stan’s role as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.A Different Manis in theaters now.

Sebastian Stanis opening up about portraying a man withneurofibromatosisalongside British actorAdam Pearson, who lives with the rare genetic condition, in their new movie.

In an interview with PEOPLE surrounding their A24 dramaA Different Man, Stan, 42, says Pearson’s life experience proved “incredible” in developing his character Edward, an aspiring actor who undergoes facial reconstruction surgery and subsequently grows obsessed with Oswald (Pearson), another man with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

“I was kind of gathering different pieces from different places. And a lot of Adam’s experience that he shared with me was really helpful in that regard,” Stan says of Pearson, who was diagnosed with the neurogenetic disorder that leaves his skin covered in thousands of thick, painful tumors, at age 5. “It’s very easy to work with Adam and I feel like we got along very quickly. I think with [filmmaker Aaron Schimberg] it was all just about trust and making sure that we were all on the same page. And once you have that, it’s just off and running, you know?”

Pearson, who previously appeared in director Schimberg’s 2019 movieChained for Lifeand the 2013 filmUnder the Skin, tells PEOPLE he and Stan “had really frank, honest conversations” about their upbringings and life experiences over Zoom before production started in 2022.

Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan in A24’s A Different Man.A24

A24

“Disfigurement and disability is unique in terms of you don’t get it until you get it. So I have to find parallels to help so I can get [someone’s] hooks into this and sort of process it differently,” he says. “And I always say that the two ways to lose your social anonymity in a society in 2024 are to either have some kind of disagreement or disability or to become a celebrity.”

“And so while [Stan] might not know the level of invasiveness, I feel with kind of pointing, stares and camera phones, he absolutely gets it from the other angle,” Pearson adds.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Though Pearson has a handful of acting credits to his name,A Different Manmakes for a larger role — and a higher-profile release — than his past films. The actor tells PEOPLE he has “been putting off [the movie’s release] in my mind for quite a while” prior to its press tour.

“I sat down on the plane on Sunday and just thought, ‘Oh no, this is happening. It’s happening now,’ " he says. “And my family as a whole are a bit not fussed about it, which is good ‘cause it kind of keeps me humble and keeps me in check at home.”

Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve and Adam Pearson in A24’s A Different Man.A24

“I’m gonna enjoy this while it’s happening. If this is the end, I’ve gone out on a high,” he says, when asked where his acting career may take him next. “I’ve made some great friends. I’m going to be friends with [Stan] for the rest of my life, if he’s willing.”

“We’ll see what happens, but yeah —Kevin Feige, call me,” Pearson adds, jokingly referencing theMarvel Studiosexecutive and Stan’s role as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A Different Manis in theaters now.

source: people.com