This year’s premiere included a biographical production titled “The Apprentice”, about the life of Donald Trump. The film caused a huge stir, especially due to one extremely controversial scene. It shows the former president of the United States, Donald Trump raping his first wife, Ivan Trump. The production was met with mixed reactions, from standing ovations to harsh criticism.
The position of Donald Trump’s camp
Donald Trump’s campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, sharply criticized the film in an interview with Variety magazine. He noted that they plan to take action against the creators. “This is pure fiction and defamation. The film presents false information that has long been debunked. This is another attempt by the Hollywood elites to influence the election because they know that Donald Trump has a chance to return to the White House.”
The director of the film, Ali Abbasi, decided to open it provided that the events presented are purely fictitious. He played the role of Donald Trump Sebastian Stan, known for his role as Bucky in the Captain America film series. The production also featured Jeremy Strong as Trump’s lawyer Roy Cohn and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump. The film contains many graphic scenesincluding showing beauty treatmentswhich Trump allegedly submitted to.
A controversial scene causes a scandal
However, it aroused the greatest controversy a rape scene that is a variation on an incident described in a 1990 divorce proceeding. Ivana criticizes Trump’s appearance, which leads to a brutal reaction from him. In fact, in her divorce deposition, Ivana Trump described a similar situation that allegedly occurred after Trump had cosmetic surgery. He then allegedly threw her to the floor and pulled out a handful of hair.
Ivana Trump’s volatile testimony
Years later, Ivana Trump changed her testimony. In 2023, in an interview with The Guardian, she explained that she initially described her experiences as rape, but over time she withdrew this statement. “Once in 1989, Donald Trump and I had marital relations during which he behaved very differently towards me than usual. As a woman, I felt violated… I described it as rape, but I don’t want my words to be interpreted literally or criminally” – said Ivana. Donald Trump categorically denied these accusations.
Reactions from the audience and critics
At the premiere of “The Apprentice” in Cannes the film received an 8-minute standing ovationbut the reactions were extremely divided. Many viewers were shocked by the graphic and brutal rape scene.
Further legal steps
Steven Cheung announced that the Trump camp does not intend to leave this matter unaddressed. Trump’s lawyers are already preparing appropriate legal steps, which aim to protect the former president’s good name. According to Cheung “The Apprentice” is just another attempt to undermine Trump’s reputation in the eyes of the public.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
