Why Are People Calling to Cancel Sebastian Stan Again? The Drama, Explained
Updated June 13 2021, 2:49 p.m. ET
We've all heard the phrase that nothing dies if it's been on the internet, and that's been proven true in recent years. As more people get called out for past actions on social media, it's a reminder that we need to be careful of what we say and share. Ultimately, we need be an aware enough person to know what's going to be seen as offensive — otherwise, a cancellation may be in your future.
Fans and critics alike have argued that Sebastian Stan deserves to be canceled over resurfaced photos of his girlfriend in 2020. Then, the hashtag #RipSebastianStan also sent fans into a tizzy when it trended in May 2021, sparking false rumors of the actor's death. Confusion over the hashtag has muddled its meaning, but it appears Sebastian is back in hot water over past comments.
First, a little background on Sebastian Stan.
Sebastian Stan is best known for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For the past decade, Sebastian has played Bucky Barnes, a World War II vet who is also Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson's best friend. He was also on Gossip Girl in the recurring role of Carter Baizen.
Like many actors, Sebastian prefers to keep his dating life private, although several of his paramours have made their way into gossip magazines. The actor has been linked to Dianna Agron, Jennifer Morrison, and even Gossip Girl co-star Leighton Meester for a few years. Currently, he is reportedly dating Spanish actor Alejandra Onieva.
While the pair only recently confirmed they were dating, the relationship is linked enough that people feel comfortable calling Sebastian out and starting the first hashtag calling for his cancellation based on something Alejandra did in the past.
Why is Sebastian Stan canceled?
The controversy appears to have started on Twitter when user angelas550 shared a screenshot of a photo of Alejandra, who is dressed in what looks like a Japanese Geisha outfit, alongside a friend who is dressed in a similar way. The caption that accompanied the photo, according to the screenshot, was "Asian night."
"What the F**K is an "asian night" ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? THIS IS NASTY. #SebastianStan," @angelas550 wrote. In a follow up tweet, they wrote, "For context, this is Sebastian's PR girlfriend, dressing as a japanese geisha which [is] EXTREMELY disrespectful and racist. not okay. this post is also on her profile and captioned 'two japanese's' and hashtagged 'geishas.'"
Fans then started to tweet the photo and their concerns to Sebastian Stan, and the call for him to be canceled as a result of his allegedly ignoring and blocking the concerns.
It didn't take long for a hashtag, #sebastianstanisoverparty, to start trending on Twitter.
"So much for being unproblematic. Don't forget the fans supported you when you were in shitty movies and spoke out for you for better treatment. I didn't forget," a Twitter user wrote, adding, "I'm disappointed #sebastianstanisoverparty."
"#sebastianstanisoverparty imagine blocking ur fans for calling out ur racist ass gf," another said.
Still, there are others who think that it's not right to drag Sebastian into the situation.
"So fans stalk Alejandra, find a picture that was posted by her friend on HER account from 2yrs ago in Asian garb with 0 backstory, flood Seb Stan with disgusting DMs then get mad when they’re blocked and start #sebastianstanisoverparty," one person tweeted.
Sebastian Stan was recently canceled again in May 2021.
On May 29, 2021, many fans were shocked to spot the hashtag #RIPSebastianStan trending on Twitter. The reason behind the tweets was initially obscured, but gradually, a picture emerged. Fans were disappointed with Sebastian for more than one reason, including his decision to portray accused abuser Tommy Lee in the upcoming Hulu project Pam & Tommy, interpreting his acceptance of the role as supportive of the musician.
In addition to outrage over his decision to play Tommy Lee, many pointed to a recent Instagram post he shared, with the caption, "Happy World Meditation Day. Find your zen, f---rzzz." Many thought the post was mocking Buddhism, while others pointed out that Tommy Lee is Buddhist and the caption could be a quote of his.
Other users were calling for Sebastian's cancelation based on social media posts he liked previously, including his liking a video from 2017 of radio host Shane Powers claiming white people should be allowed to say certain racial slurs. Users also took ire with him sharing what appeared to be an I, Tonya meme in poor taste about taking a knee — he has since apologized for his post.
While many fans have genuine concerns about the content Sebastian says or shares, a hashtag like #RIPSebastianStan maybe isn't the best way to get their point across. Hopefully, should fans have further concerns about his comments, they can voice their feelings in a way that doesn't imply he's dead.