Just about everything that deals with former president Donald Trump these days becomes a lightning rod for attention. That's no different for the 2024 new movie about the former president's younger years, The Apprentice, which is already stirring a lot of buzz after it officially premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Trump's reelection campaign has already released a statement calling the movie "pure fiction" and "blatantly false," according to reports. The director, Ali Abbasi, however, has extended an olive branch, offering to screen the movie privately for the president. Whether or not that actually happens, this adds another wrinkle to an already hectic year for Trump and US politics.
Find out everything you need to know about The Apprentice right here.
The Apprentice how to watch
The Apprentice is now available via digital on-demand platforms in the US and the UK.
The Apprentice cast
Taking on the role of Donald Trump in The Apprentice is Sebastian Stan. Best known for his time as Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier in the MCU, this is one of Stan's more dramatic turns. Some of his other recent roles have included Dumb Money, Pam & Tommy and Fresh.
Jeremy Strong also stars in the movie, playing Roy Cohn, who serves as a mentor to the young Trump in the movie. Strong most recently wrapped up his run on the hit series Succession, but he has also been busy with a movie slate in recent years that includes Armageddon Time, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Gentlemen (the movie, not the Netflix series).
Rounding out the main cast is Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, Donald Trump's first wife. Bakalova broke out after her debut in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and has since starred in The Bubble, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Unfrosted.
The Apprentice plot
Gabriel Sherman wrote the original screenplay for The Apprentice, which claims to be "inspired" by the events of Donald Trump's life. Here is the synopsis for the movie:
"The Apprentice is a dive into the underbelly of the American empire. It charts a young Donald Trump's ascent to power through a Faustian deal with the influential right-wing lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn."
The Apprentice trailer
Watch the trailer for The Apprentice right here:
You can also check out this clip from the movie, getting a good look at Sebastian Stan's performance as Trump:
The Apprentice reviews
Reviews for The Apprentice saw the movie score a "Certified Fresh" 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Apprentice awards
Check out all of the major awards and nominations that The Apprentice has earned to date:
Golden Globes
- Best Actor Drama — Sebastian Stan (nominee)
- Best Supporting Actor — Jeremy Strong (nominee)
Independent Spirit Awards
- Best Director — Ali Abbasi (nominee)
- Best Lead Performance — Sebastian Stan (nominee)
- Best Editing (nominee)
London Critics Circle Film Awards
- Supporting Actor of the Year — Jeremy Strong (nominee)
Ali Abbasi movies
Here is a look at the other feature-length movies that Ali Abbasi has directed in his career to date:
- Shelley (2016)
- Border (2018)
- Holy Spider (2022)
He also directed two episodes of The Last of Us season 1.
