As a writer and film enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of cinema, I found myself utterly captivated by the brilliance of “The Trial of the Chicago 7” – not just for its exceptional performance, but also for its daring exploration of complex characters like Cohn and Trump.
As a devoted admirer, let me share some insights on a film that recently hit the silver screen – “The Apprentice”, an independent biopic depicting the ascent of the 45th president (portrayed by Sebastian Stan) in the bustling New York real estate scene of the 1980s. This captivating journey is orchestrated, in part, by the relentless lawyer Roy Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong. Finally, it’s great to hear Donald Trump’s perspective on this intriguing cinematic portrayal of his early career!
Let’s just say he isn’t thrilled with it.
Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday night, stating that a bogus and disrespectful movie about him, titled “The Apprentice” (I wonder if they have the authority to use that name without approval), is hoped to flop. He described it as a low-cost, malicious, and politically repugnant hatchet job, released just before the 2024 Presidential Election, with the intention of harming the phenomenal political movement ‘MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.’
Trump’s criticism also mentioned the portrayal in the movie of his former wife Ivana, played by Maria Bakalova. In a startling scene from “The Apprentice,” Trump is shown sexually assaulting Ivana on their home floor. (This scene is based on a divorce deposition, but Ivana later denied its accuracy.)
“My ex-wife, Ivana, was a wonderful person and we had a fantastic relationship until her passing. However, the author Gabe Sherman, who’s often criticized for his lack of talent and ethics, chose to disregard this truth in his work. It’s unfortunate that individuals like him can spread untruths about a Political Movement as great as MAGA2024.
It seems that Donald Trump’s hope that The Apprentice would fail might have been realized, as the movie, which encountered numerous obstacles in its distribution journey – even a cease-and-desist order from Trump himself – struggled during its debut weekend at the box office. Released by Tom Ortenberg’s Briarcliff Entertainment, the film managed to scrape together $1.6 million from 1,740 screens, barely making it into the top 10 earnings list.
Screenwriter Sherman, aged 45, recently chatted with The Hollywood Reporter mere days before the movie’s premiere – all prior to any of President Trump’s criticisms.
You’ve done what many journalists have always dreamed of doing: You’re a produced screenwriter.
Due to numerous transformations throughout its history, I wasn’t certain this film would ever be made until the actual start of filming. Just before production began, it seemed like we wouldn’t even have enough funds to pay our staff and the project was on the verge of collapsing. Therefore, I always approached this movie with a sense of uncertainty.
Was this your first stab at screenwriting?
In the spring of 2017, my first foray into feature films began when I conceived the idea for the movie. At that time, I was transforming my Roger Ailes biography into a limited series on Showtime featuring Russell Crowe. Consequently, I was relatively new to television production, having little to no experience in writing a full-length film. I was essentially learning on the job.
Did you report the screenplay?
I delved into studying Donald Trump, Roy Cohn, and New York City from the 1970s and ’80s, reading as much material as I could find. Afterward, I conducted personal interviews with individuals who had known both Donald and Roy during that period, gathering additional stories in the process. Essentially, my research combined historical investigation with firsthand accounts.
“In my gaming world, it was ‘Angels in America’ that brought me face-to-face with Roy Cohn for the first time. A captivating, multifaceted character who seems to embody both the best and worst of American history – quite a paradox! What do you think about him?”
To be completely honest, I hadn’t experienced “Angels in America” or read the play before embarking on this screenplay. My understanding of Roy Cohn primarily came from journalism and writing about Donald Trump, with an emphasis on Roy’s impact on him. The Roy I aimed to portray was a subtler, more restrained figure, brimming with menace.
What drives him? Is he evil?
In my opinion, there seems to be a profound cynicism or nihilism underlying Roy Cohn’s character. While he may have displayed actions that can be considered evil, I don’t believe he is inherently evil. Instead, his behavior might stem from an intense self-loathing. Beneath the surface, there’s a depth of humanity in Roy that is often hard to perceive, but as a writer, I make it my mission to uncover it. I strive to find the human element even in figures who appear monstrous. One reason our society appears so divided is because we increasingly refuse to empathize with those whose beliefs differ from ours.
Roy grew up in an era where openly being gay and having a thriving career was unacceptable. This forced him to suppress a fundamental aspect of himself, leading to a sense of despair. The world seemed unjust, giving rise to the belief that anything could be justified. So, it’s possible he justified his immoral actions because he felt the world was corrupt. “Since the world is corrupt, who am I to follow the rules?” is a thought pattern that might have been prevalent in Roy Cohn’s mind. This aspect of him, his moral degeneration, is tragic, and it appears the film delves into this, with Jeremy Strong delivering a remarkable portrayal.
“Even as two individuals often seen as the most detested figures in modern American history, I discovered moments where I could empathize with both Cohn and Trump. While crafting this narrative, I found myself questioning if I was making them seem too human or relatable. Did any of you share this concern?”
In crafting the script, I solely penned characters that resonated genuinely based on my research findings. This is a heartfelt tale revolving around Roy’s deep affection for Donald, encompassing aspects of fatherly bond and potential romantic undertones. During my research, it was striking to discover that many of Roy’s partners resembled young Donald Trump, particularly in terms of their looks – blonde, blue-eyed, all-American types. I believe there may have been a hidden admiration or love between Roy and Trump, though there’s no proof he ever acted upon these feelings.
Let’s discuss the unique take on the movie “Apprentice” by director Ali Abbasi. I’ve noticed it being likened to Scarface. Without a doubt, there’s an exuberant, larger-than-life style in its presentation. This isn’t your typical factual biopic.
When crafting my film, I drew inspiration not from traditional biopics, but rather the timeless films of New York cinema. I aimed to create a cinematic experience that would embody the spirit of a New York movie – think “Midnight Cowboy,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” undeniably “The Godfather,” “The French Connection,” and “Taxi Driver.” Ali, my co-creator, had this brilliant vision for our film: to unveil a corrupt system that was uniquely American. He referenced Stanley Kubrick’s “Barry Lyndon” as one of his inspirations, given his admiration for the director and his belief that young Donald Trump bore similarities to Barry Lyndon. Furthermore, we wanted our movie to possess the vibrant energy of “Boogie Nights.
How did it feel when the movie premiered at Cannes, only for Trump’s associates to immediately retaliate with attacks and legal threats?
A day following the film’s debut, Trump’s campaign team sent us a legal notice to stop. However, they declared during the premiere itself that everything was false and they were planning to sue. This scenario mirrors the plot in the movie. In the story, Roy Cohn advises Trump that his key strategy is to counterattack. And what happened? They launched an offensive. As far as I know, no one had watched the film at that time, and even Trump himself hasn’t seen it yet, despite our invitation for a private screening.
Have we discussed Jeremy Strong, yet? If not, let’s touch on Sebastian Stan now. In my opinion, he delivers an outstanding portrayal that captures the essence of the character but doesn’t copy it. When penning the script, who did you envision in your mind?
Initially, there wasn’t any particular actor specifically chosen, however, it was disheartening as some prominent actors we approached earlier declined the role due to reasons such as it being too risky or not wanting to associate their talent with Trump. However, they all expressed interest in working with Ali. Later in 2019, Sebastian showed great interest in the role after reading the script and we discussed it over dinner in New York. Despite his apprehensions about portraying Trump, he performed a remarkable feat.
Initially, I had apprehensions that this role might merely resemble a condensed version of Saturday Night Live. However, Sebastian’s performance left me utterly speechless. It wasn’t an impersonation as one might think; it was more like being face-to-face with the real Trump. As you rightly pointed out earlier, his portrayal felt incredibly authentic.
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2024-10-14 21:55