At 11 years old, Ștefan watched The Dark Knight and knew—he wanted to be the Joker. But dreams don’t always unfold the way we expect. As he approaches 28, the age Heath Ledger was when he filmed his iconic role, he wrestles with ambition, self-doubt, and the reality of making it as an actor. Comparing himself to Hollywood stars, battling frustration, and learning hard truths about fairness, he discovers that success isn’t measured by age but by perseverance. A chance encounter with Cillian Murphy leaves him with a powerful lesson: Be fearless. Because in life, just like in film, you don’t need to own every moment—just the right ones. Ștefan Iancu, born on December 26, 1997, in Bucharest, began acting at the age of four. He appeared alongside Oscar Isaac in PU-239 and Abraham F. Murray in The Day of the Siege 1683. His career includes roles in notable Romanian and international productions, such as Amintiri din Epoca de Aur, Nașa, and Kira Kiralina. Ștefan made his theatre debut at Metropolis Theatre before finishing high school and later studied at the National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale.” In 2018, he won the Gopo Award for Best Young Hope for his performance in Un Pas în Urma Serafimilor. He captivated audiences for four seasons in the ProTV series Vlad and gained international recognition as Felix in Killing Eve, earning the Best Newcomer award at Subtitle Talent Festival. Currently a full-time actor at Toma Caragiu Theatre, he starred in Libertate (2023) and will appear in the much-anticipated movie Hoții de Subiecte (The Subject Thieves), directed by Tudor Petremarin. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx