Imagine doing a reading with your co-star thinking this is a guy fresh out of nowhere only to discover you’re reading with a major star. Well, Margot Robbie, who played Tonya Harding in the award-winning hit I, Tonya, was not the only one who fully transformed for the wickedly funny movie. While she knew she was reading with Sebastian Stan, she had no idea what else he had been in. During the first reading for I, Tonya, Margot Robbie admitted to not recognizing Sebastian Stan “at all.”
In L’Officiel magazine, Sebastian Stan and Margot Robbie spoke to each other about their experiences on I, Tonya. She confessed to Stan that even though they physically met during the chemistry read, she honestly did not recognize who she was reading with. With that mustache and turtleneck, Robbie thought that Stan was a fresh new actor only to realize this is the same actor from Gossip Girl and the Marvel movies.
We physically met during the chemistry read for I, Tonya, but I had seen your tape before. I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but I didn’t recognize you at all. I think you were wearing a turtleneck and you may have even grown the ‘stache. I remember being like, ‘Wow, this actor is so good, who is this guy? He’s going to be such a find.’ And then I looked you up and I was like, ‘Holy shit, it’s the hot guy from Gossip Girl and those Marvel movies!’
Not only did Margot Robbie not recognize who her co-star was, but neither did his Marvel co-stars. While filming I, Tonya, he went to meet up with some of his Marvel co-stars who he met while playing Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Because he had a different haircut, a mustache, and was without sideburns, he had to remind his friends who he was when he saw them. Clearly, poor Sebastian Stan really did disappear into his character. Because his Marvel friends, who he has known for years, did not know who he was.
Margot Robbie can understand how easy it is to truly inhabit your character that you become completely unrecognizable. After all, this is the same actress who got so into her role as Tonya Harding that she punched Sebastian Stan in the head. And no, it wasn’t because she didn’t recognize him. During a fight scene between the two leads, Robbie got so caught up in the role after Stan slammed her hand against the wall that she gave him a knuckle sandwich on the side of his head in return. Maybe certain roles ought to require a bodyguard on set.
As a celebrity, you’re used to people recognizing you everywhere you go. However, you also get those rare moments when the physical transformation is so good, it can be a clever disguise to those who know the real you. For example, Nicole Kidman didn’t even recognize Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell. The award-winning hair and makeup on Theron were so impressive that when Kidman walked by her, Theron thought she was upset at her only to discover it was because Kidman didn’t know who she was. The same also happened to Rupert Penry-Jones in The Batman who didn’t recognize Colin Farrell on set as Farrell fashioned a brace on his leg and scars on his face to play The Penguin. I’d consider it a compliment on the hair and makeup crew for their amazing and transformative work.
You can find I, Tonya on your Hulu subscription. Let’s see if you are able to spot which actor plays what character in the comedy hit.