Devon Sawa, best known for his role as the titular character in Eminem's 2000 music video for "Stan," recently appeared at a SAG-AFTRA event. Now 47, Sawa attended a panel discussion to promote his upcoming film, "The Girl in the River," alongside co-star Tiffany Haddish and director Brando Benetton.
Sawa, who has been married to producer Dawni Sahanovitch since 2013, was seen in a powder blue sweater polo at the event held at The Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists in Los Angeles. He joined co-star Sara Murphree and the film's writer and director Brando Benetton for the discussion, moderated by critic Stacy Yvonne.
Sawa first gained prominence in the 1990s with roles in films like "Casper" and "Little Giants." His career included a starring role in the 2000 horror film "Final Destination," followed by his portrayal of the obsessive fan Stan in Eminem's critically acclaimed music video. In the video, Sawa's character descends into madness, ultimately leading to a tragic end for himself and his pregnant girlfriend, played by Dido.
Reflecting on his experience working with Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, Sawa shared that the rapper was focused and present on set. "He was there to work - that's what I remember," Sawa said in a previous interview. While Eminem's scenes were filmed separately, Sawa recalled the overall atmosphere during the three-day shoot as being like "a huge party," with many artists like D12, Snoop Dogg, and Cypress Hill present.
Sawa also revealed that he was not the first choice for the role of Stan, with Macaulay Culkin having been approached first. Dr. Dre suggested Sawa after seeing his performance in "Final Destination."
Sawa's portrayal of Stan required him to lip-sync the lyrics, a task he found initially awkward. He recalled Dr. Dre giving him direction to add more rhythm to his performance. Sawa admitted that he knows the lyrics to "Stan" better now than he did during the filming due to its repeated airplay.
Following the success of "Stan" and "Final Destination," Sawa took a five-year hiatus from acting in the early 2000s, feeling burnt out and typecast. He returned to acting after realizing his passion for the craft and has since appeared in television series such as "Nikita" and "Chucky."