Moms always know just what to say and do. They’re a cheering squad when necessary, they know how to make you feel better when you’ve been knocked down, and they think you’re the most amazing person in the world. But sometimes, even when you’re a famous actor, they give some tough love, as Sebastian Stan recently discovered.
In an interview on The A24 Podcast, Stan started off by saying “My mom, okay, I love her” and then explained that when his mom visited, she told him “Be a little less intense with your face.”
While it would be hilarious if any mom said this to any of their adult children (because let’s face it, babies and toddlers can’t help their wild looks and sometimes creepy stares), this is a particularly great story since Stan does have such a memorable look.
Stan’s mom continued, “I know you’re an actor and everything, but maybe you can express a little less, because I can see these lines” and suggested that he start moisturizing.
While I bet Stan’s mom gave him some product recommendations (and they will probably make him even more good-looking), is it even possible for him not to look “intense” given the kinds of roles he picks? From mean rich kid Carter on Gossip Girl to Tommy Lee in Pam & Tommy, not to mention the evil Steve in Fresh, these characters don’t exactly have happy personalities. This just goes to show that even if you’ve got one of the most successful acting careers out there, your mom will still have thoughts about how you can improve.
As Entertainment Weekly pointed out, Stan and Colman Domingo, the host of the podcast, had a discussion about Stan showing many different emotions as an actor named Edward in A Different Man. Edward has neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors on his face. The movie tells the story of Adam Pearson, who was the focus of the 1980 David Lynch film The Elephant Man (which is what awful classmates used to call him).
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, makeup artist Mike Marino explained that he made prosthetics for Stan from Edward’s 3D scans and pictures. Stan left the movie set and went to a coffee shop in NYC and said a lot of people stared at him. He explained, “As Adam puts it, you feel like public property.”
As the saying goes, Stan is more than a pretty face. While he looks a least a decade younger than his 42 years, he also has a kind heart. As he told Slant Magazine when talking about A Different Man, “I believe we all get born and are brought into this world with empathy.” He added, “We don’t value it as much as we should, and I wish we led with it more than other reasons.” That makes me swoon even more than his recent photoshoot.
While Stan’s mom might be worried about the lines on his face, he truly looks amazing. Mothers can’t help, it though. I wonder what his mom thought about his performance in the cannibalistic horror movie Fresh. She probably has some pointed opinions!