Devon Sawa, known for his role as the titular character in Eminem's 2000 music video for "Stan," appeared at a SAG-AFTRA event this week at age 47. Sawa attended the event at The Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists to promote his forthcoming film, "The Girl in the River," which stars Tiffany Haddish and Ralph Macchio.
Sawa first gained prominence in the 1990s with roles in films like "Casper" and "Little Giants." He later starred in the 2000 horror film "Final Destination" before taking on the role of Stan, an increasingly unhinged fan whose obsession with Eminem leads to a tragic end. The music video also featured English singer Dido as Stan's pregnant girlfriend.
Reflecting on his time on the "Stan" set, Sawa recalled Eminem being focused and dedicated to his work. He also revealed that he was a secondary choice for the role, with Macaulay Culkin initially considered. Dr. Dre suggested Sawa after admiring his performance in "Final Destination."
Sawa described the filming of the "Stan" video as a "wild three days of filmmaking" and noted the presence of numerous artists and producers, including D12, Snoop Dogg, and Cypress Hill. He admitted to knowing the song's lyrics better now than he did during the shoot, having heard it countless times since.
In the "Stan" video, Sawa's character adopts a look similar to Eminem's and lip-syncs the lyrics, detailing his deteriorating mental state. The narrative culminates in a devastating car accident.
After a period of feeling "burnt out" by the acting industry and typecasting as a horror actor, Sawa took a five-year hiatus. He returned to acting after an accidental audition submission reminded him of his passion for the craft. His subsequent work includes roles in the CW series "Nikita" and the comedy series "Chucky."
Sawa has been married to producer Dawni Sahanovitch since 2013. He recently appeared on a panel with "The Girl in the River" co-star Sara Murphree and the film's writer and director, Brando Benetton.