Sebastian Stan’s ‘A Different Man’ Promises a Unique Dark Comedy

Having started out as the problematic Carter Baizen in the CW drama Gossip Girl, Sebastian Stan has branched out as an actor over the years, maintaining a healthy ratio of independent and big-budget films.

2024 looks to be a career-defining year for Stan, who will be appearing in two highly anticipated films: The Apprentice and A Different Man. The trailer for the latter was released today, giving the viewers a closer look at Stan’s incredible appearance and glimpses of his performance, which earned him the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the Berlin International Film Festival.

You can check out the trailer for A Different Man here:

The dark comedy/drama is written and directed by Aaron Schimberg (Chained for Life) and is scheduled for a theatrical release in the United States on September 20, 2024, by A24. Produced by Christine Vachon, Gabriel Mayers, and Vanessa McDonnell, the film was first introduced at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it received rave reviews.

The movie stars Sebastian Stan as Edward, a man with neurofibromatosis who undergoes facial surgery to alter his appearance. An actor by profession, Edward sees his life take a turn for the better as his colleagues react positively to the surgery, instilling confidence in him. However, things quickly change when he comes across Oswald (Adam Pearson), an actor who portrays him in a play based on his life. Oswald looks exactly like Edward pre-surgery, leading Edward to become fixated on the other man’s day-to-day life.

The Worst Person in the World breakout Renate Reinsve plays Ingrid, Edward’s affectionate neighbor. Other members of the cast include C. Mason Wells as Carl, Owen Kline as Nick, and Charlie Korsmo as Ron Belcher, with Michael Shannon and Patrick Wang playing themselves.

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic medical condition that leads to the formation of tumors on the skin and bones. Pearson, one of the leads of the film, lives with the disorder and has been quite vocal about preventing bullying as a result of disfigurement stigma. He made his feature film debut with the 2013 Jonathan Glazer movie Under the Skin and also appeared in Schimberg’s 2019 movie Chained for Life.