Sebastian Stan Wasn't Trying To Make Gwyneth Paltrow Feel Like Crap For Not Remembering Him On Marvel Movies

Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in Iron Man 3 (2013)

With over 20 films under its belt, Marvel Studios has amassed a large base of talent that includes countless stars. Bucky Barnes actor Sebastian Stan knows that it can be a hard to keep up with his many Marvel collaborators. That’s why he made it a point to reintroduce himself to Avengers co-star Gwyneth Paltrow when they both attended an event. Unfortunately for Stan, the meeting turned out to be a bit awkward.

Sebastian Stan recently recalled crossing paths with Gwyneth Paltrow at a fashion show and, despite feeling out of his element, he proceeded to reintroduce himself to his colleague -- three times. Now, Stan thinks he may have confused or insulted Paltrow in some way:

All that I was trying to say, I was just trying to take the piss out of myself, to be honest. We were at this event, and especially at some of the fashion events, for me I feel a bit out of my element. I try to kind of stick to myself. I'm not like that guy that goes up to people and is like, 'Hey! How are you? Here's who I am.' It just doesn't feel right. I was like, 'I don't know if we really worked together.' So I guess we got thrown in that group photo. I was like, 'Hey, by the way, it's Sebastian.' I think she sort of just gave me this look. I was like, 'From Avengers, we met…' and then the picture was taken, I'm not even sure if she [remembered me]. It was just like a weird moment. I was like, 'My God, I've introduced myself to this poor woman a third time, she must think I'm just this crazy person.

Sebastian Stan’s comments on The Jess Cagle Show aren’t unfounded. The reason he might have thought Gwyneth Paltrow took the exchange negatively is because she doesn’t pay close attention to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This tendency to forget her MCU films first came to light when she admitted to having never seen her performance in Spider-Man: Homecoming. And since then, she’s made other remarks that hint to her not remembering much about the film’s cast and crew, either.

Believe it or not, Paltrow’s unfamiliarity of the MCU doesn’t stop there. While filming the funeral scene for Avengers: Endgame, the actress was curious as to why Samuel L. Jackson was on set. This led her co-stars to remind her that he plays Nick Fury.

There’s no denying that Sebastian Stan’s interaction with Gwyneth Paltrow was unusual, but it’s also clear that he meant no will by introducing himself multiple times. Plus, Stan isn’t typically someone who playfully throws shade, unlike Paltrow’s Spider-Man castmate, Tom Holland.

Even though it didn’t play out quite the way he would have liked, you can’t blame Sebastian Stan for trying to be friendly, and there’s a good chance Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t think he’s crazy.

Those eager to relieve some of Sebastian Stan and Gwyneth Paltrow’s biggest MCU moments you can stream nearly all of the MCU films on Disney+.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.