Donald Trump was an American celebrity long before the billionaire New York businessman ran for president.
And now new movie The Apprentice explores his ascent to power through a Faustian deal with the influential right-wing lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn.
The film’s synopsis reads: “The origins of Donald Trump are brought to life in a provocative, electrifying portrait of the man and his mentor, Roy Cohn – a notorious lawyer who will never let the truth get in the way of winning a fight. Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong star as Trump and Cohn respectively, with Maria Bakalova starring as Ivana Trump and acclaimed director Ali Abbasi (Border, Holy Spider) bringing a unique perspective to this gripping, darkly funny tale of greed, power and the dark art of the deal.”
Meanwhile, fans are all saying the same thing after watching Sebastian Stan’s performance as the young Trump.
In the trailer and first clip, which has the Succession vibes Strong is best known for, Stan barely even tries to imitate Trump’s distinctive New York accent.
Nevertheless, movie fans think this was the right move, with one top comment reading: “This is what I hoped for. An impression that doesn’t dip into parody. It’s what separates a biopic from an SNL sketch.”
Another upvoted one added: “If you actually watch a clip of Trump from the 80s this is not far off to how he sounded back then.”
While one said: “I appreciate that Sebastian Stan isn’t doing a basic Trump impression, as it allows him to explore and express the character in much more subtle ways… that little smile, and the way he says he’s smart and has flair, THAT’S Trump, more than any hackneyed vocal impression could communicate.”
The Apprentice hits UK cinemas on October 18, 2024.