"That's heartbreaking" — Internet reacts to Sebastian Stan canceling Variety's Actors on Actors because no one wanted to talk about The Apprentice

Fans of Sebastian Stan and cinema enthusiasts alike were taken aback by the recent announcement that the actor has pulled out of Variety's Actors on Actors series.

On November 19, 2024, during The Apprentice's screening in Los Angeles, Sebastian Stan told the attendees that he could not find another actor with him to appear on Variety's Actors on Actors because they were all too afraid to talk about the movie.

The news has sparked widespread discussion online, with phrases like "heartbreaking" echoing across social media as fans rally in support of the actor —

"That's heartbreaking. No one deserves to feel ostracized in their profession, especially at that level," one commented.

Moreover, some users on X expressed confusion, speculating whether the actors declined to participate due to personal dislike for Donald Trump or an inability to speak critically about him —

"OK I'm confused, would no actors/publicist work with him because they don't like trump or because they're afraid to talk (potentially negatively) about him in general?" a user on X commented.

"My main takeaway here is that apparently actors need to find their own partners for Actors on Actors?" a second noted.

"Sadly, this reveals the true face of Hollywood, where fear and self-interest override artistic collaboration and growth," a third commented on X.

However, some users on X expressed a contrasting perspective, suggesting that The Apprentice might be perceived as propaganda in their view —

"Must be very sad. He escaped a communist country years ago just to end up being persecuted for his art," one user on X.

"So is the trump film a hit piece or actually an honest portrayal? I just assumed it was propaganda," another commented.

"There's nothing reprehensible about it. The film is a cheap political, 'from the headlines' pulp movie that invites controversy," a third on X commented.

As of now, none of The Apprentice's cast members have commented on Sebastian Stan's disclosure, and Stan himself has not yet responded to the online reactions.

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Sebastian Stan steps back from Variety spotlight amid The Apprentice snub

On Tuesday, during the screening event for The Apprentice, Sebastian Stan, who portrayed Donald Trump in the film, revealed that he had to withdraw from Variety's Actors on Actors series because he was unable to secure another actor to join him on the show —

"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," Stan said.

Furthermore, Sebastian Stan suggested that he has many exciting opportunities ahead and clarified that he was not singling anyone out. However, he implied that some actors were reluctant to discuss the film, seemingly out of fear —

"You know, I've got to do a lot of great things, and that's not pointing at anyone specific. It was… we couldn't get past the publicists or the people representing them, because [they were] too afraid to talk about this movie," Stan said.

Moreover, Sebastian Stan expressed concern that if fear or discomfort prevents open discussion about specific topics, it signals a more significant problem in the industry —

"And it's like, that's when I think we lose the situation. Because if it really becomes like that — fear or that discomfort to talk about this — then we're really going to have a problem," Stan added.

According to IMDb, The Apprentice is a historical drama film that explores Donald Trump's rise in the political sphere, mainly focusing on his early years as a businessman and media personality.

It was released on October 11, 2024. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie had a $11,900,510 box office collection worldwide.

The other actors and their characters were Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn, Martin Donovan as Fred Trump, Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, Catherine McNally as Mary Anne Trump, and Charlie Carrick as Freddy Trump.