Trump supporter sells off stake in biopic The Apprentice starring Sebastian Stan

Anything involving Donald Trump generates its share of controversy and that was certainly the case for The Apprentice, a biopic of the former president’s early years under the tutelage of divisive political figure Roy Cohn.

The young Trump is played by Sebastian Stan, known for his work in Marvel movies and Pam & Tommy, while Cohn is portrayed by Succession’s Jeremy Strong. The Apprentice is directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi.

The movie premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival and despite buzz and a standing ovation, it struggled to secure American distribution after it was hit with legal threats from the Trump campaign.

In particular, it objected to a scene in which Trump rapes his first wife, Ivana (Maria Bakalova), based on a claim she made during their divorce proceedings which she later half-walked back.

A statement from Trump’s team called the film, “a concoction of lies that repeatedly defames President Trump and constitutes direct foreign interference in America’s elections”.

The latter charge refers to The Apprentice’s financing structure which includes funding from countries including Canada, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and the UK.

The Apprentice’s primary financier was Kinematics, a firm backed by Trump supporter Dan Snyder who was incensed at the final cut of the film. Snyder had been under the impression the film was to be a flattering portrait of Trump.

Overnight, Kinematics officially divested its investment in The Apprentice and exited its arrangement with producers. Kinematics sold its share to James Shani’s Rich Spirit, citing “creative differences” over its decision.

The movie also secured American distribution from Briarcliff and premiered stateside this past weekend at the Telluride Film Festival, one of the events that serves as a launching pad for awards campaigns. Stan and Strong are both expected to make a run for an Oscar nomination.

In Australia, Madman bought distribution rights out of Cannes and will release The Apprentice locally on October 10.

Briarcliff released a 60-second clip today featuring a scene between Trump and Cohn with Cohn coaching him through a phone interview with a reporter. The exchange suggests Cohn instilled in Trump his penchant for being hyperbolic when referring to his achievements.

The Trump character said in the scene, “I intend to acquire the Commodore and I’m planning on making it the best and the finest building in the city, maybe in the country, in the world. It’s going to be the finest building in the world, it’s going to be a spectacular hotel, absolutely spectacular, first class.

“I’ve got flair and I’m smart, so I think that’s going to make me successful, but I also want to stay humble.”

Producer Dan Bekerman told Deadline the past few months have been both “exciting and excruciating” and that the legal threats had scared off some potential bigger studios and distributors.

In response to a question about whether the film is lining up any political endorsements given the timing of The Apprentice’s release in the run-up to the November 5 election, Bekerman added, “Politically, the film is non-partisan.

“We’re doing what art is supposed to do, which is create conversations that allow culture to evolve. And I think we’re going to do that in ways that are not going to fit neatly into the political talking points on any particular side, and that’s totally fine.”