After Ali Abbasi’s film The Apprentice, a film about Donald Trump’s early years, made its world debut at Cannes, Trump’s legal team reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to the filmmakers. However, as the movie heads to theatres in the US on Friday under the distribution of Briarcliff Entertainment and Rich Spirit, there hasn’t been much noise from Trump’s team since. Though Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung has criticised the film in a public statement, the former president himself hasn’t taken any new legal action, nor has he made any comments about the movie on Truth Social or at his rallies.
When asked at The Apprentice’s New York premiere about the possibility of facing legal threats from Trump, director Ali Abbasi expressed doubt that any action would be taken. “I doubt they have the balls (to come after the film),” Abbasi told The Hollywood Reporter (THR). “I don’t think so, because they know we’re right. They know there’s nothing to be sued about. They know that things are accurate and double and triple, quadruple checked journalistically and legally. There’s nothing there, you know,” he added.
However, Abbasi remained defiant when asked if he feared future threats. “I mean, bring it on. That’s what I tell them,” he said.
The New York premiere at the DGA Theater drew stars like Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova, along with writer Gabriel Sherman, producer Daniel Bekerman and executive producer Amy Baer. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen also attended, walking the red carpet and engaging with media outlets, reports THR.
The film deals with Trump’s relationship with New York power broker Roy Cohn during the 1970s and ’80s, depicting how Cohn played a key role in shaping Trump into the person he is today.
Though The Apprentice is being released shortly before the 2024 election, the filmmakers insist that the movie is not a political attack, but rather an insightful portrayal of Trump’s early years.
Producer Daniel Bekerman reportedly emphasised that he hopes viewers will leave with a fresh perspective. “I really hope that this movie does offer a new perspective on things that people have sort of shut off their brains on because they’ve formed a very hard opinion one way or the other,” Bekerman explained.
Abbasi encouraged audiences to approach the film with an open mind and highlighted that, aside from its political relevance, The Apprentice is an entertaining experience. “I think it’s a ride. I think it’s an experience. I think it’s actually quite entertaining. I love the soundtrack. There are amazing performances. Not everything is about Donald Trump for or against,” he said.
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