The Apprenticestar Sebastian Stan explains why he took on the role of former President Donald Trump despite advice telling him not to. Directed by Ali Abbasi and written by Gabriel Sherman, the upcoming biopic chronicles the earlier years of Trump’s career, following the divisive figure as he becomes a powerful real-estate mogul in the 1970s and ’80s with the help of lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong).The Apprenticehas been controversialsince it was first announced, and it struggled for a long time to find distribution, which it has now secured through Briarcliff Entertainment.
In a recent interview withEW, Stan delves into his hesitation regarding taking on the leading role inThe Apprentice. Sherman reveals that other actors before Stan passed on the role because they were “too scared,” butStan says he found the apprehension about the role “weirdly motivating"due to his “very interesting relationship with fear.“Check out Stan’s comments about taking on the role below, in which he reveals that he was cautioned against taking it on:
“It’s funny, I felt similarly about a few things I’ve worked on. My initial reaction is, ‘Wow, how the hell am I going to do this?’
“I had people tell me not to do it. I had people tell me I don’t look like him. I had people tell me that it’s not safe for me to do it. I had people say that I shouldn’t try to alienate half the country.”
What Sebastian Stan’s Involvement Means For The Apprentice
Stan has become a world-recognized due to his role as Bucky Barnes in the MCU, a role he’s set to play again next year with the release ofThunderbolts*. Still, though,Stan playing Trump inThe Apprenticehasn’t helped abate the controversy surrounding the film. After a positive reception at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year,The Apprenticewas met with legal threats from Trump himself, who attempted to bar the film’s release. This was followed by trouble with financier Kinematics, who tried to exit the film since one of its key backers is a Trump supporter.
Sebastian Stan’s 15 Best Movies, Ranked
Sebastian Stan is most famous for playing Bucky Barnes in the MCU, but the talented actor has also starred in Oscar-winning movies like I, Tonya.
With most of these troubles in the rearview, at least for now, and with domestic distribution secured,The Apprenticeis poised to make its way to audiences this month. Stan’s leading performance is at least part of whyThe Apprenticereviewshave been positive from critics thus far, and the film currently enjoys a 77% onRotten Tomatoes. In addition to Stan’s transformation into the controversial figure, the film has also been praised for Strong’s supporting performance and for Sherman’s strong script.
In addition to Stan and Strong,The Apprenticealso features Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump and Martin Donovan as Fred Trump.
Our Take On Stan Starring In The Apprentice
He’s Right About It Being A Risk
It’s not surprising that other actors passed on starring inThe Apprentice. It would be challenging to portray any former president, butTrump is arguably one of the most controversial figures in American political in history. Plus, the film is said to not paint a particularly flattering portrait of the man, meaning, as Stan says, it is sure to incense a considerable percentage of audiences.
Taking risks and provoking a response is, however, is, in many ways, what art is about. If movies only played it safe, many of them would probably be quite boring. Even though his latest film may not be a box office hit and may severely divide audiences,the fact that Stan has taken on the role at all is admirable, and reception toThe Apprenticethus far suggests his transformation alone is worth the price of admission.
The Apprentice
Cast
The Apprentice depicts a young Donald Trump in 1970s New York, highlighting his formative relationship with Roy Cohn, a ruthless attorney. As Trump seeks to establish his own legacy, Cohn identifies him as an ideal protégé, drawn to his ambition and determination to succeed at any cost.
