According to Page Six, while promoting the psychological thriller A Different Man at the Berlin Film Festival in February, Sebastian Stan addressed a journalist who made an insensitive comment about his co-star Adam Pearson. The comment, which resurfaced this week as the actors promoted the film’s US release, referred to Pearson’s character as a “so-called animal.”
During the panel, the reporter asked, “What do you think happens after this transformation from this so-called beast, as they call him, to this perfect human being?” Stan immediately responded, and criticized the reporter’s “choice of words.”
The Pam & Tommy star said, “I think the movie is important because we often don’t even have the right vocabulary. I think it’s a little more complicated than that.”
Golden Globe nominee Sebastian Stan elaborated, saying, “Obviously there are language barriers, but, you know, the word ‘animal’ is not right, I think.” His comments were a direct response to the journalist’s insensitive language, which he felt was indicative of a larger issue with how society views deformities and physical differences.
Pearson, who suffers from neurofibromatosis, a condition in which benign tumors develop in the nervous system, plays Oswald in the film. The film revolves around Stan’s character, Edward, who becomes obsessed with Oswald, who plays Edward in a stage production based on his early life.
Stan continued to address the misconceptions people have, especially those surrounding physical abnormalities like Pearson’s. He said that we are not properly educated on how to understand this experience. He added that he can’t really talk about it. His favorite aspect about the film is how it provides different perspectives.
Steyn said the film encourages viewers to reconsider their initial judgements by focusing on their reaction to Pearson’s appearance. He said if you can keep the same objective viewpoint while watching the film, you’ll be able to set aside your initial instincts and realize they may not always be the best choices.
Adam Pearson, who was part of the discussion, understood the complexity of the situation. He said that, even though Stan doesn’t understand what a perversion is, he does understand what it’s like to live a life full of constant scrutiny.
A Different Man premiered in January and prompted people to talk about appearance, identity and acceptance. Stan and Pearson have been promoting the film ahead of its US release, with their exchange highlighting the film’s central themes – judgement and perception.
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