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The team behind the Trump biopic ‘The Apprentice’ talks politics, power and peril

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The team behind the Trump biopic 'The Apprentice' talks politics, power and peril
TELLURIDE, Colo. —

As a journalist and filmmaker who has spent years delving into the lives of complex characters, I find the inclusion of Ivana Trump’s allegations against her ex-husband, Donald Trump, to be an essential part of the narrative in this film. The stakes are high, not just for us as creators, but for society as a whole, especially in this post-#MeToo era. It is our duty to hold a mirror up to nature and interrogate the truth without fear or favor.

At a bustling film festival showing, it’s not uncommon for directors to show some apprehension when presenting their movies. However, as Ali Abbasi addressed the audience before the midnight premiere of his contentious Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice” on Saturday, he could feel an unusual type of nervousness taking hold – a distinct kind of jitters.

At the festival, the screening was shrouded in secrecy prior to its unveiling. This would be the initial opportunity for a U.S. audience to witness the movie that caused a tumult at the Cannes Film Festival in May, titled “The Apprentice”. The film received an 11-minute standing ovation despite the Trump campaign threatening legal action against it during the same festival.

“Although I usually stay calm, I must admit I’m feeling quite anxious about this,” said Abbasi, originally from Iran (“Holy Spider”), addressing the Telluride audience. “This movie has been a work in progress for some time, and now it’s being warmly received by you all.”

“The Apprentice” is a dramatized account of Donald Trump’s journey to prominence in 1970s and ’80s New York, featuring Sebastian Stan as the real estate tycoon-turned-reality TV star and politician, alongside Jeremy Strong as Trump’s ruthless attorney and mentor, Roy Cohn. The script was penned by Gabriel Sherman, a journalist known for his 2014 bestselling book on late Fox News chief Roger Ailes. This film offers a darkly humorous portrayal of Trump as a cunning and charismatic social climber who mastered the art of wielding power through relentless attacks, disregard for ethics, and strategic media manipulation, all under the guidance of Cohn, a morally questionable figure with numerous flaws.

Following its premiere at Cannes, Trump’s campaign communications director Steven Cheung criticized the movie as “rubbish” and “entirely fabricated,” threatening to sue the filmmakers in an attempt to halt its distribution. Given the highly charged political nature of the movie, studios, streaming platforms, and independent distributors were cautious about taking it on. However, Briarcliff Entertainment eventually decided to distribute the film domestically, setting its release date just weeks before a U.S. presidential election that has been one of the most contentious and tumultuous in history.

Following the screening in Telluride, exactly 64 days before the election, The Times had a conversation with Abbasi, Sherman, Stan, and Strong about their film’s journey, the difficulties in depicting such a contentious figure, and the anticipated influence of “The Apprentice” during the intense final phase of an extremely divisive election campaign.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

Hi Ali, in your presentation of the film last evening, you mentioned, “This isn’t a biased political critique. Instead, it serves as a reflection.” Could you please explain what you meant by this statement and how the film mirrors the community?

Abbasi clarified that this piece isn’t intended as a political attack. Instead, it’s a characteristic of politics to simplify matters for a specific impact, be it gaining or retaining power. However, that is not the objective of this project. The focus is on delving into the intricacies and complexities instead.

People often wonder, “What’s the point of watching this movie? Haven’t we heard everything about Trump already?” However, if you believe that a Wikipedia page can give you a complete understanding of a character, then go ahead. But this isn’t just facts and figures. This is an immersive journey into the intricacies of these characters. For me, as someone not directly involved with American politics, watching this was a unique opportunity to observe the American system and the deep-rooted corruption that seems institutionalized from my perspective.

Absolutely, the movie delves into political maneuverings, but at its core, it’s a deep exploration of psychology, offering a profound examination of the characters involved, from a compassionate and human perspective.

I believe every remarkable film focuses on relationships, and this particular movie does the same by delving into the significant aspects of a specific bond. Emerson once said that every establishment mirrors an individual. In my opinion, this movie seems to examine the lengthy, distorted silhouette of [Cohn], filtered through [Trump]. It appears to be examining the shadow that is currently casting its ominous glow over us.

In a unique fashion, Ali creates films that are eerie and horrifying, almost like fantastical nightmares. This production can be categorized as a monster movie, or more specifically, a Frankenstein-style movie. It’s essentially the tale of how an ideology or mindset came to be. By blending Gabe’s investigative journalism with Ali’s distinctly Lynchian punk-rock filmmaking, we’ve produced something that doesn’t simply add up to a sum of its parts. Regardless of the politics involved, I’m eager for people to experience this unconventional creation.

In this movie, Donald Trump appears quite distinct from his current self. He’s younger, more exposed, and still in the process of determining how best to present himself globally. How did you manage to delve into his character, Sebastian?

Stan: Reading the script for the first time in 2019, I was struck by a strange resemblance to “The Godfather Part II.” Upon focusing solely on the content without considering character names, it seemed as if a person was transforming into stone. This reminded me of Michael Corleone’s character development in many aspects. When setting aside personal opinions and perspectives, one can appreciate the script in various ways.

In my opinion as another performer, Sebastian’s performance was truly outstanding. I didn’t notice any seams; it felt like he fully embodied the character. It wasn’t until a specific part in the script where hints of the person we recognize as Donald Trump appeared, somewhat like Darth Vader, that I began to grasp the evolution of his portrayal. And when I encountered that Trump, it was then that I truly understood the trajectory of his act.

Sherman: When I set out to create the film, one of my main goals was to portray him in a more relatable way. He’s this iconic figure who exists in our minds, but he’s still just an ordinary human. I particularly enjoy the scene where Roy phones Donald and finds him dozing on the couch. There’s nothing extraordinary about it; he’s simply a man who fell asleep on his couch. Striving to make him as ordinary as possible, I believe, is something that isn’t often seen with this character.

The team behind the Trump biopic 'The Apprentice' talks politics, power and peril

Is it being claimed by the Trump team that not only is the movie slanderous, but its timing for release could be considered as meddling in the election process? Was there an intention all along to make it public prior to the election?

Abbasi: Discussing the timing is quite significant. I’m thrilled about it, naturally. However, we’ve been trying to create this film since 2018, and each year it felt like we were almost there. When January 6th occurred, we had some funding secured, but then people started backing off, saying “No, thanks. Goodbye.”

Sherman: At an event, around 2019, a well-known Hollywood executive approached me and hinted, “Once Trump is defeated, reach out to us. We’ll be intrigued.” This wasn’t about politics; it was more about the struggle to bring the project to life.

1. In this movie, there’s a scene depicting Trump allegedly assaulting his wife Ivana on their apartment floor, as well as scenes suggesting he underwent liposuction and cosmetic surgeries for his baldness. Why did we choose to include these specific moments, and how did we determine the boundary between what was appropriate and too explicit?

Sherman: For me, the Ivana scene stood out as crucial to the film since we’re aiming to let the audience get to know this character fully. It would be a missed opportunity and I, as a writer and journalist, wouldn’t be doing my job justice, if we didn’t portray that side of him. He has been accused of sexual assault by more than a dozen women and was held liable by a New York jury for committing sexual assault and defamation against E. Jean Carroll. This aspect of his character is significant, and not including it would be noticeably incomplete, particularly given the #MeToo movement’s impact on public perception.

In my perspective, when Ivana initially made those allegations under oath during a divorce deposition, it resonated as more authentic to me. Subsequent changes in her statements were often prompted by Trump’s legal team’s pressure, particularly during critical periods like his presidential campaign in 2016 or before the release of a book. Therefore, when assessing the truth, I find that her initial statement carries more weight, as it appears to be less influenced by external pressures. This is why we chose to portray the scene this way, aiming for honesty and transparency.

Considering the significant impact of the upcoming election, and understanding that Trump has adopted a strategy of “attack, attack, attack” from Cohn, how are you planning to handle potential reactions from him and his followers as your film is released?

This project we’re working on is quite significant, perhaps even more so than our personal involvements. As artists, it’s our job to reflect reality, and that can sometimes be challenging. This isn’t a typical kind of film being produced today. However, given the era of alternative facts and illusion, I believe it’s crucial for art to be truthful and questioning without fear. We’re not here to pass judgment or demean these individuals. Instead, we aim to comprehend them, which seems essential at this point in time.

Stan: Those who back and appreciate him will undoubtedly find what they desire in this film. However, we’re just trying to make it through each day as it comes, and it’s quite pleasant to savor this particular moment. Living in these uncertain times can be challenging – just consider the drastic changes in our weekends, from an assassination attempt to a president resigning. I guess nobody really knows who has the solution. As for me, I’m not sure.

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I found myself mirroring this experience with the making of “Holy Spider.” Similar to how the Trump campaign seemed unaware and critical without watching the movie, the Iranian authorities reacted fiercely upon seeing the trailer for our film, labeling it blasphemous and threatening my execution. My parents, who reside in Iran, were deeply concerned, calling me in tears and pleading for modifications to protect their safety. However, I felt we were hitching a ride on a dragon that could not be tamed. So, let’s embrace this wild journey as much as we can, given the circumstances.

I don’t have this feeling like we have done something really dangerous and terrible and now we need to extend our security and hire two people with guns [for protection]. There’s a complexity there. The experience of the film and the performances are superlative to the political messaging or whatever. I ultimately think people will see it that way.

You know how “Barbie” worked, right? They said, “If you love Barbie, it’s a movie for you. If you hate Barbie, it’s a movie for you.” So we say the same thing. If you love Trump, it’s a movie for you. If you hate Trump, it’s also a movie for you.

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2024-09-03 01:02

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