According to a new interview, making “The Apprentice,” a biopic movie about Donald Trump’s business career, was problematic. It was hard to find a director willing to take on the controversial project.
Director Ali Abbasi told Le Figaro that Clint Eastwood and Paul Thomas Anderson both turned down offers to direct the movie because they thought it could hurt their careers. “The producers were having difficulty finding the right director who would risk his career,” he said.
The movie, which stars Sebastian Stan as Trump, has had a lot of problems since it came out. Even though most critics gave “The Apprentice” good reviews, it has only made $8 million worldwide, less than its $16 million production budget.
Eastwood is 94 years old and famous for making hit biopics like “Sully” and “American Sniper.” He is still involved in the movie business, and his most recent movie, “Juror #2,” got good reviews. If he had been involved, the project would have gotten a lot of press.
Abbasi said that Hollywood’s reluctance is caused by societal caution. “I don’t see any other explanation than fear,” he stated. “Hollywood is a great creative machine, but also a conservative company.”
The movie may not have done as well at the box office because it came out during an election year with Trump as the Republican nominee. Legal problems and marketing problems have made getting to theaters even harder.
Even with the problems, the movie is still an interesting attempt to look at Trump’s early business career through the lens of film. It shows how difficult making a biopic in a politically charged environment is.
