Speaking of his eyes, a lot of tears have fallen from them over the years in various roles. Among fans of Stan’s online, it has been often joked that early on in his career that if any project was looking for an actor to play someone sad or damaged that he was your guy. And with good reason!
We all have that actor who’s entire filmography we’ve watched, no matter how questionable. Sebastian Stan is mine. Granted, there are a few things that I still haven’t gotten around to watching, but I’ve watched my fair share, especially the early stuff. In no particular order, here are the list of movies or TV shows in which Stan has gotten even just a little bit weepy, and the effectiveness of aforementioned weepiness on your own emotions. A spoiler warning is in effect!
(If you’ve seen these movies or television shows before, and never noticed Sebastian’s crying scene(s), you’ll probably want to give them another watch!)
Law & Order
Sebastian’s first onscreen role was on the small screen, portraying Justin Capshaw, a teenaged sniper who killed four people. Despite being in his early twenties, Stan looked very much the part of a young boy, whose emotional and abusive past has culminated in some terrible decision making.
Though Stan had been acting since he was a child, the weight of it being his first onscreen role does show through just a little bit. He seems a little awkward and unsure, but this vulnerability works to his advantage, especially in the courtroom setting, and when Justin is met with the truth about his past.
You feel bad for him, and want to give him the biggest of hugs … but then you remember that he did kill some people.
Rating: Tiny Sebastian is likely to make you feel protective. Four out of six misty eyes.
The Architect
This film is painful. Not because it’s actually sad or anything, it’s just a not-so-great movie. The Architect tells the story of an architect (Leo), his unhappy marriage, his son and daughter, and the conflict of an activist who lives in a dangerous complex that he designed. Sebastian plays Leo’s son Martin, who has dropped out of college and returned home, and their relationship is strained.
But it’s not a fight with his father that results in Martin shedding some tears – it’s sex with a prostitute.
It’s awkward, and not at all sexy. Martin befriends a young man in a neighbourhood where his father built a complex, and thinks that the two are shaping up to be friends, only to discover that the man is a prostitute who thought Martin wanted sex. Their relationship culminates in some confused kissing, and ultimately sex (with precisely zero foreplay or lubrication, like some sort of bad fanfiction) on a rooftop on the middle of the night.
I remain unconvinced if Martin’s tears were due to the emotions that he was feeling, or the fact that it probably didn’t feel good…
Rating: Dry eyes all around. Zero out of six misty eyes.
The Covenant
The Covenant is a ridiculous piece of cinema that I love completely unironically. It focuses on a centuries old coven of male witches, and the outsider in their midst, that outsider being none other than Stan’s Chase Collins.
The film came out at the height of teenagers with mystical powers era of books and movies, and was largely forgotten. While it’s far from even passable, there are gems of lines delivered with such sincerity that the fact the movie’s ending gives allusion to a sequel is laughable. (“Harry Potter can kiss my ass!”)
“But Sebastian Stan doesn’t cry in The Covenant!” you yell at me through your computer screen, probably not wanting to subject yourself to watching it again, because once was enough and you suffered enough second-hand embarrassment to last a century.
Perhaps not outright, but it’s subtle. In the movie’s reveal that Chase is in fact the bad guy (although I side with him in this movie, everyone else were real jerks to him for no reason), he is accosted by Caleb Danvers, played by Steven Strait. During this scene, while Chase talks about his past, his intentions, about how he was searching for purpose and belonging, you can make out tears threatening to fall while he has Caleb pinned to the floor in the bathroom (seriously, the fanfic writes itself).
It’s a blink and you’ll miss it kind of moment, but in a movie rife with cliches, terrible acting, and an even more atrocious script, to see a character convey such emotion is kind of a relief. Right up until Chase says “How about I make you my wiotch?”
Yeah. Yeah.
Rating: One out of six misty eyes, and even then it’s probably just from laughing too much.
Oh there’s more! Stay tunes for Part 2 of Sebastian Stan and his pretty, pretty tears!
What is your favorite Sebastian Stan work? (Tears or not!?)
Written by Megan
Current Obsessions: Megan is a freelance writer from Canada, who was born on one coast and now lives on the other. Her day job is at a local research university, but she’s eagerly awaiting the day when she can focus on her writing full time. Though she’s a 90’s girl, she has an inexplicable fondness for the 80’s. She’s been watching hockey since she was in diapers, and will immediately shut down any mansplaining of the sport. She misses the snow in winter, right up until there’s some on the ground for longer than a week, then she longs for summer. Megan is a self-identified habitual ruckus causer and feminist tornado, though asking those close to her would confirm these descriptions.
Her work has been published on sites such as Obvi we’re the Ladies, Culturess, Puck Prose, Guys Girl. You can find her portfolio here. Follow her on Twitter: @megancox
