Sumith Prasad
Evan “Buck” Buckley is one of the prominent characters of FOX’s action series ‘9-1-1.’ Buck’s storylines, which range from his relationship with Abigail “Abby” Clark to his decision to be the sperm donor of his friend Connor, have been engrossing to the regular viewers and admirers of the show. Oliver Stark, who is also known for his performance as Ryder in AMC’s martial arts series ‘Into the Badlands,’ plays the character. For his captivating performance as Buck, Stark has gained an admirable fandom as well. Over the years, the admirers of the actor and character have been noticing a mark near his left eye. Is it real or a feature added to the character Buck? Let’s find out!
The Truth About Oliver Stark’s Eye Mark
Yes, Oliver Stark’s eye mark is real and not a feature added to his character Buck. The dark patch near Stark’s left eye is a birthmark. The actor has never been bothered about the mark affecting his “image.” “I’ve never had an issue with it. I think I’d have a very miserable life,” Stark told People. “People often kind of want to give you this compliment of like, ‘Oh, you’re so brave…’ and I’m just like, ‘It doesn’t feel like that.’ Because it’s just never been one of the things I’ve been insecure about. So it’s not like I’m going out there with this thing I’m really insecure about and carrying on anyway. It’s never felt like that big of a hurdle to me,” the actor told Stuff about the birthmark.
After coming to Los Angeles to pursue acting, Stark had covered the mark for auditions following the advice of his team. “Their thinking was they didn’t want producers or someone to be watching an audition tape and lose concentration because they were wondering what’s on my face. So I understood that. But then once it got to a certain point, it’s just a part of me. I have no shame when it comes to that one aspect of myself,” the actor added to Stuff. Now, as an established actor, the birthmark must be the last thing Stark cares about.
Over the years, several performers have embraced their moles and birthmarks, challenging the conservative notions of “beauty” and “image.” Actresses like Natalie Portman, Eva Mendes, and Angelina Jolie are only three of them. Oliver Stark is one of the performers who embraced the same, bringing a change in the way birthmarks are approached in today’s reality. Stark’s decision to not remove his birthmark has positively affected many as well.
“People are really connecting to my birthmark. I’m getting lots of messages from moms saying that their child has a birthmark on their face and it’s a huge boost of confidence to them,” Stark said in the same People interview. “And I never thought that would be a thing, but apparently it is and I’m really happy if mine has managed to inspire some confidence in them,” the actor added.
Read More: Who Plays Christopher in 9-1-1? Does He Have Cerebral Palsy in Real Life?
