"The Apprentice" Sparks Debate with Unvarnished Portrayal of Young Trump

"The Apprentice," directed by Ali Abbasi and starring Sebastian Stan, explores Donald Trump's formative years as a real estate mogul, offering a nuanced portrayal that has elicited both praise and backlash, including threats of legal action from Trump himself.

Actor Sebastian Stan stars as Donald Trump in "The Apprentice," a film that delves into the former president’s early life during his rise as a New York real estate tycoon. Released in the US to a challenging reception, the movie portrays a complex and three-dimensional image of Trump, countering more typical caricatures. Despite legal threats from Trump, who condemned the film as "fake and classless," and distribution hurdles in the US, director Ali Abbasi emphasizes its artistic significance and timing before the US election. The film, featuring Jeremy Strong as Trump’s infamous lawyer Roy Cohn, aims to show the influences that shaped Trump’s public persona, while incorporating controversial depictions of his marriage to Ivana Trump. With hopes of contributing to the political conversation, Abbasi remains focused on the narrative's artistic value over political impact. As "The Apprentice" navigates its rocky release, debates about its potential influence on voters and the Oscars race continue. Sebastian Stan's portrayal eschews simple vilification, instead exploring the intricacies of Trump’s character evolution and relationships, which may enlighten younger audiences unfamiliar with his early public life.