Sebastian Stan Supports Marvel Fans Shipping Sam & Bucky

Sebastian Stan gives his support to Marvel fans shipping The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s Sam and Bucky. With The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Stan stepped into a leading role within the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time. The actor has been a part of the franchise since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, and though his Bucky Barnes was a vital part of Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) story, he always remined a supporting player. The recent six-episode run of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier finally brought Bucky to the forefront, along with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie).

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was born from the hilarious banter between Sam and Bucky that took place in Captain America: Civil War. Fans praised Mackie and Stan’s chemistry, and the series gave the two actors the chance to work together on a deeper level than before. As often happens with two impressive leads, it wasn’t long before certain sections of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier fanbase began to ship Bucky and Sam, spurred on by a “couples therapy” scene and their bonding while fixing up the Wilson family boat.

Stan recently appeared on the Just for Variety podcast to discuss The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and his upcoming role in the buzzy Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy. Stan touched upon several topics during the conversation, including the concept of Sam and Bucky being seen as a romantic pair. He didn’t reject the notion, instead giving his support for how fans choose to interpret their relationship. “I’m just happy that the relationship is embraced, and it should be embraced in whatever way or fashion that people desire and want it to be,” said Stan.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier did not turn Sam and Bucky into a couple, but it did advance their friendship drastically. They went from barely speaking at the start of the series to Bucky being invited to the Wilsons’ barbecue. Though there are many still waiting for proper LGBTQ+ representation within the MCU, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier did not provide it, even though the first episode appeared to confirm the theory that Bucky is bisexual. That was later debunked by director Kari Skogland, who said that was not the scene’s intention.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier never set out to tell a love story, and that’s okay. Stan’s support for fans interpreting Sam and Bucky’s relationship however they want to is still an important and sweet gesture. Sam isn’t the only character Bucky has been paired with before, as Bucky and Steve remain a popular pairing within the MCU fanbase. In short, there are plenty of ways to interpret Bucky’s many relationships, and Stan appears to be fine with all of them.

Source: Variety

About The Author

Rachel Labonte
(3420 Articles Published)

Rachel LaBonte is a news, feature, and movie review writer for Screen Rant with a deep passion for film and television. A graduate of Emerson College, she majored in Media Arts Production while specializing in screenwriting. She’s been a writer ever since high school when she realized she was rather good at it and joined as many entertainment news clubs as she could while in school. Most notably, she wrote for Emerson’s website Emertainment Monthly, and one of her film reviews won an Evvy (Emerson’s student awards) for Best Review. Her deep love of movies led to her working at a movie theater for five years, which she loved despite the angry customers. An avid reader who constantly buys books before reading the ones she already owns, Rachel is a huge fan of superheroes (especially of the Marvel variety) and wizards and will likely never be able to catch up on all the movies/TV shows she longs to watch.

More From Rachel Labonte