Actor Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan, who play roles in the new Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice,” have criticised the former president for his response to the controversial film, labelling it as “ridiculous.” The movie focuses on Trump’s early days as a real estate mogul, mentored by the controversial lawyer Roy Cohn.
The biopic, which has already premiered in the United States, has faced backlash from Trump himself. He remarked that it was “sad that HUMAN SCUM, like the people involved in this hopefully unsuccessful enterprise, are allowed to say and do whatever they want to hurt a Political Movement.” Speaking on the BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Jeremy Strong suggested that Trump’s reaction serves as an unintentional “endorsement” of the film, highlighting how the movie is entwining itself with current political events.
Strong criticised Trump’s use of the term “human scum,” comparing it to language employed by historical dictators like Hitler, Stalin, Kim Jong-un, and Bolsonaro. Sebastian Stan, who portrays Trump in the movie, found Trump’s remarks absurd but refrained from dismissing them entirely, pointing out Trump’s habit of conveniently forgetting his own past actions.
Addressing the potential repercussions of their involvement in the film, Strong expressed concerns about the precarious situation they find themselves in, particularly after the writer, Gabe Sherman, received death threats and anti-Semitic abuse. Strong emphasized the film’s intent to examine its subjects humanely. He remarked that their aim was not to demonize Trump but to present a truthful narrative.
Sebastian Stan delved into the complexities of portraying a controversial figure like Trump, highlighting the importance of learning from the past to prevent history from repeating itself. The film has already been labelled as “pure fiction” by Trump, but even his ghostwriter Tony Schwartz has acknowledged that it captures “most things” accurately.
“The Apprentice” is set to debut in the UK on 18 October, promising to spark further discussions and debates about its portrayal of Trump’s early career. As the actors navigate the aftermath of the film’s release, they continue to stand by their commitment to truthful storytelling and humanizing even the most polarizing figures.