Sebastian Stan has admitted he “desperately wanted” the lead roles in Star Trek and Green Lantern.

The Marvel actor has revealed what blockbuster movies he came close to getting before he landed his ongoing role of Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Stan shared that he “desperately wanted” the role of Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot of the sci-fi franchise and the titular role in 2011’s Green Lantern.

“Captain Kirk for J.J. Abrams was one of the first things that I got very close to,” he shared. “I was really close and I had a screen test with him at Paramount studios and my manager had me do a separate photoshoot where I would try and replicate all of these William Shatner pictures just to send to (J.J.) to see how much I look like him and stuff. Didn’t get it.”

Star Trek, which starred Chris Pine as Kirk, spawned a franchise, with the sequels Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond following in 2013 and 2016.

Recalling his Green Lantern screen test, Stan said, “I remember getting there and it’s like me, Justin Timberlake, Jared Leto, Ryan Reynolds, and maybe one other person. I am looking at these guys going, ‘I am f**ked. There is no way this is happening for me.'”

Reflecting on losing both of those roles, the star added, “You would get close and it wouldn’t happen, but looking back I am almost glad it didn’t. I don’t know if I could’ve handed that level of attention like some of those guys.”

Stan was lucky with the latter as Green Lantern, which starred Ryan Reynolds, famously flopped at the box office in 2021.

He will next be seen as Bucky Barnes in Thunderbolts, which will be released in May 2025.

© Cover Media