Steven Cheung, Trump campaign communications director, blasts the Ali Abbasi-directed pic, which just had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, as 'pure fiction.'
- May 21, 2024
AceShowbiz - "The Apprentice" doesn't get a consent from Donald Trump, let alone his sponsorship. The movie has been put on blast by the former president's team over its depiction of his relationship with his former wife Ivana Trump.
Trump's campaign has threatened to sue the Ali Abbasi-directed pic over a rape scene as the film had its premiere at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival on Monday, May 20. "We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers," Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign communications director, said in a statement on Monday.
"This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked," Cheung said of the Competition film. "As with the illegal Biden Trials, this is election interference by Hollywood elites, who know that President Trump will retake the White House and beat their candidate of choice because nothing they have done has worked."
The spokesperson for Trump added, "This 'film' is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day, 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."
Trump and his team particularly take issue with a scene in the film which features Trump (Sebastian Stan) raping his then-wife Ivana (Maria Bakalova). In the said scene, he is seen throwing his wife violently to the ground and having non-consensual sex with her. "Did I find your G-spot?" he asks in the film.
Ivana made an accusation of rape against her ex in a 1989 divorce deposition, but later recanted the incident in the decades before her death in 2022. She said in 2015, "The story is totally without merit. Donald and I are the best of friends and together have raised three children that we love and are very proud of."
"The Apprentice" itself split critics following its premiere, with review reactions ranging from "pointless" to "provocative." New York Times editor Karl Delossantos wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, " 'The Apprentice' is woefully bad - and worse, pointless." Others praised Stan's performance which "exceeded expectations." Regardless the mixed comments, the movie was met with a lengthy standing ovation at Cannes.
"The Apprentice" is in competition for the Palme d'Or award and has yet to have a release date in the U.S.
