Controversial Donald Trump biopic shares first clip ahead of pre-election release
The forthcoming Donald Trump biopic, The Apprentice, has dropped its first teaser clip ahead of its pre-election release date this fall.
From Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbassi, the movie stars Sebastian Stan as a young Trump and Succession’s Jeremy Strong as his bullish lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn.
Described as an “origin story,” it will examine the early years of the former president’s New York real estate career in the 70s and 80s.
On Tuesday (September 3), the film’s distributor Briarcliff Entertainment released an exclusive scene from the movie, showing Stan’s Trump and Strong’s Cohn in the back of a town car.
“About a hundred reporters were crawling up my ass to get this interview and I gave you the exclusive,” an annoyed Cohn says on the phone before handing it to Trump.
When Trump introduces himself on the phone, Cohn can be seen in the background coaching him to sound more animated.
After the reporter asks Trump what he plans on doing now that he’s settled his racial discrimination lawsuit, Trump responds: “Well, I intend to acquire the Commodore [hotel].
“I’m planning on making it the best and the finest building in the city – maybe the country,” he adds before Cohn redirects him to say “in the world.”
“It’s gonna be the finest building in the world; it’s gonna be a spectacular hotel, absolutely spectacular, first class.”
Asked where he gets the drive and ambition, Trump replies: “I’ve got flare, and I’m smart. So I think that’s gonna make me successful.
“But I also want to stay humble,” he manages to clarify just as Cohn grabs the phone from his hand.
“Uh, sorry Judy, listen, let’s do the rest in person, and bring a photographer, ok?” Cohn tells the reporter before hanging up.
Trump quickly apologizes to Cohn, explaining that he was caught off guard.
“I mean listen, it’s your life. You’ve got a ways to go, but you’re learning,” Cohn reassures.
Last week, The Apprentice was acquired by Tom Ortenberg’s Briarcliff Entertainment after it initially struggled to find a buyer.
The movie is reported to contain several unflattering scenes, including Trump using drugs and undergoing cosmetic surgeries.
More controversially, it shows Trump raping his first wife Ivana, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her in a 1989 divorce deposition. She later disavowed the allegation in 2015.
Days after it screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Trump’s campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter, warning producers not to pursue a distribution deal.
In a statement shared with The Independent, Trump campaign chief spokesperson Steven Cheung condemned the movie, calling it “garbage” and “pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked.”
“This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day,” Cheung said, “and doesn’t even deserve a place in the straight-to-DVD section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store, it belongs in a dumpster fire.”
Producers later hit back at the Trump campaign’s claims, telling Variety that “the film is a fair and balanced portrait of the former president. We want everyone to see it and then decide.”
The Apprentice is scheduled to release in theaters on October 11.
