Marvel’s Sebastian Stan says $65k in residuals from comedy film saved his career

Sebastian Stan's acting career was saved by a $65,000 residual check from "Hot Tub Time Machine" before he landed his Marvel role, according to Yahoo's recent report on the actor's career journey. The timely payment arrived when Stan was "actually struggling with work" in 2010, just before he secured the role of Bucky Barnes in "Captain America: The First Avenger," which premiered in 2011.

In the 2010 science-fiction comedy, as Yahoo notes, Stan played a ski patrol bully named Blaine in what became a moderately successful film, earning $64 million worldwide and a 64% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. The supporting role provided much-needed income at a critical time in Stan's career, demonstrating how smaller projects can sometimes be vitally important for actors before they land breakthrough roles. According to The Numbers, since joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stan has appeared in nine Marvel movies over the past 14 years, with the "Captain America" franchise alone earning $2.65 billion at the box office.

The Vanity Fair interview highlighted by Variety revealed more details about this crucial turning point in Stan's life. "I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from 'Hot Tub Time Machine,'" Stan explained about his financial situation when the Marvel opportunity arrived. Feige apparently told producer Stephen Broussard that Stan would be "a good Bucky, but he's going to be a great Winter Soldier."

IGN points out that Stan will continue his role as the Winter Soldier in upcoming Marvel projects. After playing James "Bucky" Barnes in the original "Captain America: The First Avenger," Stan reprised the role in multiple films including "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014), "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), and various Avengers movies, according to IGN's report. He's set to appear in this year's "Captain America: Brave New World" and next month's "Thunderbolts," with IGN mentioning that his name was also included in "Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal," suggesting Bucky will remain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for the foreseeable future. This ongoing relationship with Marvel represents a remarkable turnaround for an actor who was struggling financially before landing the Winter Soldier role.

The contrast between relying on residuals from a comedy film and becoming a cornerstone character in one of cinema's most successful franchises highlights the unpredictable nature of acting careers. As IGN and other sources have documented, Stan's journey from financial uncertainty to Marvel mainstay shows how quickly fortunes can change in Hollywood, with his Winter Soldier character now firmly established among fans of the superhero genre.