All AboutThe Apprentice, the Controversial Donald Trump Film Starring Sebastian Stan

Mar. 15, 2025

Sebastian Stan filming The Apprentice, Donald Trump.Photo:TheImageDirect.com; Joe McNally/Getty

TheImageDirect.com; Joe McNally/Getty

Sebastian Stanis taking on the role ofDonald Trumpfor his latest film,The Apprentice.

The movie, which was first announced back in 2018, reportedly follows a young Trump during the early days of his career in the ‘70s and ‘80s as he builds his real estate business in New York City.

Described as “a mentor-protégé narrative,” the movie features an ensemble cast playing real-life figures from Trump’s inner circle, such as Roy Cohn,Ivana Trumpand Fred Trump.

In September 2024,The Apprenticeteam launched aKickstarter campaignto raise money for distribution efforts. They reached their $100,000 fundraising goal in less than 12 hours.

“Wow we crushed our kickstarter target in one day! Apparently people DO want to see #TheApprentice in cinemas,” director Ali Abbasi wrote onX(formerly Twitter).

From the cast to the plot, here’s everything to know aboutThe Apprentice.

Who is in the cast ofThe Apprentice?

Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong.Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Getty; Mike Marsland/WireImage; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Getty; Mike Marsland/WireImage; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

The film stars Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump during his early career in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Though Stan has made a name for himself playing Bucky Barnes in the Marvel universe, he is no stranger to playing controversial real-life figures, including Tommy Lee in the Hulu miniseriesPam & Tommyand Tonya Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly inI, Tonya.

The cast also includesSuccessionactor Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn, a prominent lawyer known for being Senator Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel during the Army–McCarthy hearings in 1954;Bodies Bodies Bodiesactress Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, Trump’s first wife whom he was married to from 1977 to 1990;Weedsactor Martin Donovan as Fred Trump, Trump’s father who died in June 1999; andThe Book of Eliactor Joe Pingue as Anthony Salerno, an American mobster who served as underboss and front boss of the Genovese crime family in the early ‘80s.

What isThe Apprenticeabout?

According to the film’sofficial synopsis, “a young Donald Trump, eager to make his name as a hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of Roy Cohn, the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today.”

Is there a trailer forThe Apprentice?

Briarcliff Entertainment released thefirst official trailerforThe Apprenticein September 2024.

The 90-second teaser opens with Trump meeting attorney Roy Cohn for the first time. The cutthroat lawyer then takes an eager Trump under his wing.

“How do you always win?” a young Trump asks. “There’s rules,” Cohn responds. “The first rule is attack, attack, attack. Rule two: Admit nothing, deny everything. Rule three. You claim victory and never admit defeat. You have to be willing to do anything to anyone to win.”

Who is directingThe Apprentice?

‘The Apprentice’ director Ali Abbasi at Cannes Film Festival.Andreas Rentz/Getty

Andreas Rentz/Getty

When didThe Apprenticefilm?

Filming for the project first began in November 2023, when Stan, Strong and Bakalova’s roles were announced. The following month, people gotthe first look at Stan in characteras he filmed a scene in N.Y.C. wearing Trump’s signature attire of a suit, tie and long black coat, while donning a wig.

The movie reportedly wrapped production in early January 2024, andthe first official image from the moviewas shared a few months later in April ahead of its Cannes debut.

What is the controversy surroundingThe Apprentice?

Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan in ‘The Apprentice’.APPRENTICE PRODUCTIONS ONTARIO INC. / PROFILE PRODUCTIONS 2 APS / TAILORED FILMS LTD. 2023

APPRENTICE PRODUCTIONS ONTARIO INC. / PROFILE PRODUCTIONS 2 APS / TAILORED FILMS LTD. 2023

As the film held its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, the movie quickly made headlines for its shocking moments, including a scene that shows Trump getting liposuction which reportedly “drew audible gasps” from the audience, perThe Hollywood Reporter.

Notably, a scene that depicts Trump raping his first wife Ivana has caused controversy. Ivana once accused Trump of raping her in the late ’80s during their divorce proceedings, asThe Daily Beastreported in 2015, though later recanted this statement in 1993.

Despite its controversial moments, the film was met with a reported eight-minute standing ovation with critics largely praising Stan’s performance of Trump without making the character feel too much like a parody.

What has Donald Trump said aboutThe Apprentice?

Though Trump has not personally commented on the film, his team has shared their thoughts. Shortly after the film premiered at Cannes, Steven Cheung, a communications director for the Trump campaign, said in a statement thatthey would be “filing a lawsuitto address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers."

“This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked,” Cheung 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.”

Despite the threat of legal action, the film’s director appeared unconcerned at a festival press conference for the film on May 21, noting that “everybody talks about him suing a lot of people” however “they don’t talk about his success rate” with following through.

When willThe Apprenticebe released?

The film held its world premiere at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2024.The Apprenticeis slated tohit theaters on Oct. 11.

source: people.com