MOVIE NEWS – Sebastian Stan called Donald Trump “hypocritical” regarding his criticisms and behaviour on The Apprentice…

Just days after its US theatrical release, Ali Abbasi’s new Donald Trump biopic starring MCU favourite Sebastian Stan is stirring up yet another controversy. At the BFI London Film Festival, where The Apprentice premiered to UK audiences, Stan openly criticized Trump for trying to censor the film. Moreover, he called the former president’s actions “hypocritical” since Trump’s political campaign famously made a big deal about the idea of ​​protecting free speech.

With less than three weeks to go until the US presidential election, it’s safe to say that The Apprentice is a sore subject for Donald Trump. The film explores Trump’s rise to power and transformation from the ruthless business mogul of the 1970s and 80s to a Republican politician in a rather revealing way. It also reportedly sheds light on some of the more vulnerable moments in Trump’s life. In fact, The Apprentice almost had to say goodbye to American distribution, thanks to a letter of warning sent to Trump’s team after the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this May, probably due to scenes that showed the former president in a less than optimal light.

In short, Trump has done everything in his power to prevent The Apprentice from ever making it to the big screen — and now the movie’s main character has something to add.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Stan didn’t hold back in condemning Trump’s approach to The Apprentice. “He’s been trying to censor this movie, and at the same time, he claims that he acknowledges free speech… I can’t think of anything more hypocritical,” Stan declared. Abbasi also previously stated that the events depicted in The Apprentice are “accurate and double and triple, quadruple checked journalistically and legally”. All of this means that any problems Trump may have with the film’s content are subjective, not based on disagreement with the facts. However, when asked if the film was able to influence undecided voters during the election, Stan gave a much more neutral answer.

“I don’t know, but what I do hope is that people, regardless of their opinion, are curious enough to try to dig deeper. Because I think we’re living in a world where it’s so easy to be handed an opinion everywhere you turn. And I know a lot of people love social media, and that’s where they go for information and for things. You’re being told what to think. You’re being told what to do.”

The Apprentice is off to a slow start, but it could still be successful

After so many tried to block its release, including major channels like ABC and CBS deciding not to air The Apprentice despite several planned television spots, it’s no wonder the controversial biopic is off to a slow start. The film, which opened in about 1,700 US theatres last weekend, brought in just $1.6 million at the box office. That was just enough to make it into the top ten. Despite these numbers, however, the film received relatively positive reviews. It received a score of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it “disturbing”, “grotesque” and “darkly comedic”. According to one critic:

“Living in the time of Trump feels a lot like watching The Apprentice: we’re laughing because everything about this shameless, cruel narcissist feels absurd and surreal, until we’re violently reminded of who – and what – he is.”

While that’s certainly an unintended side effect, The Apprentice also got plenty of free publicity from Donald Trump himself. Such a contradiction is sure to attract more viewers. Especially considering how much Trump tends to talk about things he doesn’t like. In fact, a post on Truth Social already summed up Trump’s strong feelings about the film, bringing even more viewers to The Apprentice without spending a single cent on advertising…

Source: THR