Actor Sebastian Stan is defending his latest film against critics who have labeled it a right-wing propaganda piece, arguing that the story of a religious immigrant family fighting to stay together should not be dismissed because of its conservative themes.
Stan made the remarks during an appearance on Comedy Central's «The Daily Show» on Wednesday night while promoting «Fjord,» a film in which he stars opposite actress Renate Reinsve. The movie follows a Romanian Norwegian Christian couple who move to a Norwegian village and find themselves suspected of abusing their children by what is portrayed as a progressive society. The couple must then fight to win back custody of their children from a community suspicious of their traditional methods.
Host Michael Kosta asked Stan whether he thought the film could be seen as «fairly conservative» given its themes of a religious family pushing back against a progressive European country. Stan agreed with the assessment but said that labeling the film conservative should not negate the issues it explores.
«I think that's a pretty fair assessment, but that should not necessarily cancel out the issues that this family is facing or the feelings that they have and the desire that they have to raise the kids in the best way they can,» Stan said. He added that there needs to be «an opening of the door» on both sides for a more productive back-and-forth conversation. «I mean, this is one thing. Like, when did conservative become so wrong?»
The Marvel actor, who did not grow up in a religious home like the family in the film, urged audiences to consider the perspectives of people like the characters he portrays. «As long as there is curiosity at least instead of immediate judgment, maybe there is something else there, but if a family is trying to stay together, we should at least give them the benefit of the doubt, and maybe they are trying to do it for the right reasons,» he said.
Stan also pushed back on critics who accused the film of promoting a «right-wing ideology» during an interview with USA Today published Thursday. «They're not understanding the nuances,» Stan said. «I find it almost laughable to label it a 'MAGA film' when it's essentially about an immigrant family going to a different country and being torn apart. We could change Norway for the United States, and Romania for Mexico, or any number of places where that's happening.»
He continued: «In America, it's going right to the heart of this divisive issue that we're currently having, and the reason people are writing it off or feel it's a propaganda piece is because we've normalized finger-pointing. This judgmental, dismissive attitude that plays out online is quite dangerous and naive – but it's unfortunately predictable in today's time.»
The film is loosely based on a real 2015 case in which Norwegian residents Ruth and Marius Bodnariu had their five children, including one infant, removed from their custody over suspicions of abuse as well as their religious background. The family was separated for seven months until they were finally reunited following several court cases in Norway.
Though best known for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stan also portrayed a younger version of President Donald Trump in the 2024 film «The Apprentice.» While Stan has been critical of the president, he previously defended his choice to take on the role despite being warned against it. «There's also a valid argument to be made in terms of, 'Well, I know what happened. I know what kind of guy he is. I see him all the time,'» Stan told Entertainment Weekly in 2024. «Still, I think there is value in normalizing people that we feel strongly about. And people feel very strongly about him in two different extremes: He's either God's son or he's Lucifer incarnate, and I think we need to bring him back down to earth.»
In a comment to Fox News Digital, NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck called Stan's comments «ironic» given his work on «The Apprentice.» «It's richly ironic Sebastian Stan would say this after playing a young Donald Trump in an anti-Trump film that the liberal, elitist Hollywood press loved. It must not be so fun for Sebastian now that he's made a movie that isn't as interesting to these same cinephiles,» Houck said.