Why A New Donald Trump Movie Is Generating Controversy Ahead Of Its Premiere
Of all the various actors who've made their mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sebastian Stan might be the one who's chosen the most interesting career path upon stepping outside of the superhero limelight. Stan hasn't exactly shied away from some of the more challenging and, occasionally, downright controversial roles out there, arguably beginning this little streak of sorts with director Craig Gillespie's "I, Tonya" in 2017. He followed this up with a supporting turn in Karyn Kusama's brutal "Destroyer," the bizarre horror/comedy "Fresh" (let's just say that movie packs a bite), and, of course, his Emmy-nominated performance as Tommy Lee in "Pam & Tommy," the Pamela Anderson-centric Hulu miniseries that stirred up no headlines whatsoever.
Not content to rest on his laurels, Stan promptly went and attached himself to a role that likely gave his agent no shortage of heart palpitations: a movie about Donald Trump's rise to infamy.
As a movie about Trump's origins as a ruthless (and lawbreaking) real-estate tycoon throughout the '70s and '80s in New York City, "The Apprentice" is certainly a choice on Stan's part for a starring vehicle during an election year. It should come as no surprise that anything involving the immensely polarizing political figure would be bound to stir up discourse through its mere existence. But in this case, on the eve of the film's worldwide debut during the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, controversy has already reared its ugly head ... and not necessarily for the reasons you might expect. Purposefully opting for a minimum of press coverage, director Ali Abbasi has opted to let the story do all the talking. One major investor in "The Apprentice" didn't quite get that memo, however, and has plunged the production into a fiery legal battle. You can't make this stuff up, folks.
Inside Dan Snyder's war on The Apprentice
Who would've thought that being at the center of the firestorm surrounding the contentious Washington Commanders rebranding would only be the second biggest controversy for Dan Snyder in a matter of a few years? The former NFL team owner recently found himself in hot water for overseeing decades of chaos, drawing allegations for everything from sexual harassment of team employees to impeding active investigations into his actions to financial misconduct amounting to millions of dollars of misallocated funds. All of this led to calls to formally dismiss him from the National Football League, which he precipitated by selling the team outright before a vote could be held to officially remove him from the role — a billionaire twist on the classic "I'm not fired, I'm quitting!" move. Big yikes, as the kids might say.
Yet rather than go gentle into that good night of retirement, Snyder decided to do the only natural thing: get into the moviemaking business. For someone who had never been shy about putting his money where his mouth is in terms of political opinions, a certain production soon caught his eye. You see where I'm going with this, right? In a buzzy profile, Variety reports that the lightning-rod figure (described as "a friend of Trump's") happily backed "The Apprentice" and invested his own money through the Kinematics production company ... but perhaps he should've read the fine print a bit more carefully (or, you know, skimmed the actual script). Upon actually sitting down for a screening, Snyder could charitably be described as feeling appalled by the film's portrayal of Trump in — spoiler alert — a severely negative light.
Cue the lawyers, litigation, and Snyder's demands that "The Apprentice" be recut.
The most controversial scene in The Apprentice
(Content warning: this slide contains mention of sexual assault.)
Oh, to go back to the time when the extent of Donald Trump's influence on pop culture and world events was limited to a reality show where he routinely spouted a signature catchphrase that, by all accounts, he stole from the late owner of the New York Yankees George Steinbrenner. Despite appearances, "The Apprentice" doesn't predominantly deal with Trump's time on the gimmicky TV show, but the real-life drama that's now unfolded as a result of the production (which would feel right at home on the NBC set).
According to Variety, perhaps the most highly-charged moment in the upcoming film stems from actual events alleged to have been committed by Trump. In addition to Sebastian Stan, "The Apprentice" boasts a star-studded cast that includes "Succession" actor Jeremy Strong as fixer Roy Cohn and Maria Bakalova (who, ironically enough, has her own well-documented history with Trump associate Rudy Giuliani in the 2020 mockumentary "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm") as Trump's first wife Ivana, who died in 2022. Reportedly, one scene features Stan's Trump in a heated argument with Ivana before he rapes her in what's described as a "violent" and "uncomfortable" encounter. This shocking depiction is based on the real Ivana's divorce deposition in 1989, in which she accused her ex-husband of rape (though she subsequently walked those claims back decades later). Regardless, this only highlights just how divisive and provocative "The Apprentice" is bound to be once it finally releases.
"The Apprentice" is still seeking distribution in North America, which puts its Cannes premiere — and the reactions to follow — under even more scrutiny. And should Trump himself decide to wade into the fray and comment on the film, all bets will be off. Stay tuned; this unbelievable story is far from over.