Trump Biopic Actor Excluded from Hollywood as Stars Avoid ‘Toxic’ Don Chat

Sebastian Stan, the actor portraying Donald Trump in the new biopic The Apprentice, has admitted that he has been distanced by his fellow actors since taking on the controversial role. Speaking candidly, Stan revealed that many in the industry are hesitant to associate with him, fearing uncomfortable discussions surrounding the polarizing figure of Trump.

In an interview, the Marvel star shared insights into the difficulties he faced in securing participation from other actors for Variety’s prestigious Actors on Actors series. He expressed disappointment that many actors were “too afraid” to engage in conversation about the film or the former president. “I couldn’t find another actor to do it with me because they were too afraid to go and talk about this movie,” Stan explained, further lamenting the challenges posed by publicists and management who encouraged this avoidance.

The film, which delves into Trump’s early career as a real estate mogul and his relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn, received a mixed reception from critics and was released just before the U.S. election on November 5. Despite the backlash, including stern criticism from Trump himself, who labeled those involved with the film “human scum,” Stan aims to spark deeper conversations about the complexities surrounding Trump’s character and his political rise.

Highlighting the emotions that the topic evokes, Stan remarked, “If we let fear dictate our discussions, we’re really going to have a problem.” He believes it’s crucial to confront the difficult realities of why Trump garnered such a significant following, stating, “Should we not give this a closer look and try to understand what it is about this person that’s even driving that?”

Variety’s Co-Editor, Ramin Setoodeh, confirmed Stan’s experience, noting that the reluctance among actors to engage with him during the series was indeed due to concerns over discussing Trump. Although Stan has found little support from fellow actors, co-star Paul Walter Hauser of I, Tonya has stepped forward, offering to sit down for the Actors on Actors discussion.

In the meantime, Trump has lashed out at the film, labeling it “fake” and “classless,” while expressing hopes that it would fail commercially. Taking to his Truth Social platform, he declared, “It’s a cheap, defamatory, and politically disgusting hatchet job, put out right before the 2024 Presidential Election, to try and hurt the Greatest Political Movement in the History of our Country, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” As the film makes waves, the discourse around it continues, revealing the deeper divisions within Hollywood and the public at large.