Trump Campaign Threatens Legal Action Over Controversial New Biopic About Ex-President That Received 8-Minute Ovation At Cannes: 'Pure Malicious Defamation'

Donald Trump‘s campaign has declared its intention to take legal action against the controversial film “The Apprentice,” which portrays the former president’s early years as a real estate developer.

What Happened: The Trump campaign, led by spokesperson Steven Cheung, has announced its plans to file a lawsuit against the creators of “The Apprentice” for what it alleges are false claims. Cheung, in a statement to Variety, described the film as “pure fiction” that sensationalizes debunked lies.

He also accused the Hollywood elites of election interference, suggesting that they are aware that Trump will return to the White House.

Cheung’s statement further reads, “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.”

Sebastian Stan, known for his role in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” takes on the role of Trump, with Jeremy Strong from “Succession” playing lawyer and fixer Roy Cohn, and Maria Bakalova from “Borat 2” portraying Trump’s first wife, Ivana Trump.

The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday, receiving an eight-minute standing ovation. It includes several scenes depicting Trump in an unflattering light, such as him taking amphetamine pills, undergoing liposuction, having surgery for his bald spot, and a controversial scene where he violently throws his then-wife Ivana to the ground and engages in nonconsensual sex with her.

See Also: ‘Sickening’ — Trump’s NRA Endorsement Slammed By Birmingham Mayor

Why It Matters: The film’s portrayal of Trump’s early years has sparked controversy, with the Trump campaign now threatening legal action. This comes amid a series of legal battles involving Trump, including the ongoing hush money trial where a defense witness faced the threat of removal due to his contemptuous behavior. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has also been testifying, accusing the former president of falsifying business records.

Earlier, a biopic of Trump’s life was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, with the film’s director and writer receiving praise for their work. The film’s unflattering portrayal of Trump has led to objections from individuals close to the former president, including Dan Snyder, a friend of Trump who invested in the film, according to the report.

Read Next: This Important Evidence Could Determine Donald Trump’s Fate In His Hush-Money Trial

Image Via Shutterstock


Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote


The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. Learn more.


Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In:
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!