Sebastian Stan: $65K Residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine Saved Him Before Winter Soldier

Sebastian Stan has opened up about the career challenges he faced before securing his iconic role as the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a candid interview with Vanity Fair, Stan revealed how a residuals payment from his role in the 2010 film Hot Tub Time Machine provided a crucial financial lifeline. He portrayed the antagonist Blaine in the sci-fi comedy and received a $65,000 residuals payment that he credits with "saving" him during a time of professional struggle.

“I was actually struggling with work,” Stan shared. “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.”

This financial boost came just before he was cast as James "Bucky" Barnes in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, alongside Chris Evans as Captain America.

Marvel Studios' President, Kevin Feige, also spoke to Vanity Fair about their decision to cast Stan as the Winter Soldier, despite his relative obscurity at the time. Feige praised Stan's potential, saying, “You could see that he has so much inside him and so much behind his eyes. I’ll never forget that. I said to Stephen Broussard, who was one of the producers on Captain America, ‘He’s going to be a good Bucky, but he’s going to be a great Winter Soldier.’”

Stan's portrayal of Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier has since become a staple in the MCU. He reprised the role in subsequent films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), multiple Avengers movies, and the recent Captain America: Brave New World. He is also set to return as the character in the upcoming film Thunderbolts. Moreover, Stan's inclusion in the cast reveal for Avengers: Doomsday indicates that fans can expect to see more of Bucky in the MCU's future.