Shame and Scandal: Sebastian Stan movie to delve into Donald Trump's relationship with 'best friend'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ahead of the 2024 United States presidential election, filmmaker Ali Abbasi's film 'The Apprentice' is gearing up for its theatrical release. The biographical drama featuring Sebastian Stan as young Donald Trump focuses on his early years as a businessman while also exploring his relationship with Roy Cohn, portrayed by Jeremy Strong.
The film takes us to the 1970s when Trump is still finding his footing in the ruthless New York real estate world. His encounter with Roy Cohn shapes Trump's business and ultimately his political career by acting as his mentor, friend, and legal fixer.
Who was Roy Cohn?
Roy Cohn was an American lawyer and prosecutor whose popularity exceeded his influence on Trump. He was just 24 when he first gained prominence serving as chief counsel for Senator Joseph McCarthy during the infamous Army-McCarthy hearings of the 1950s. He played a key role in the hunt for suspected communists, leaving an indelible mark on that era of American history. He persecuted gay people in government jobs, despite being a closeted gay man himself till his death, as per BBC.
Cohn's popularity in American political and legal history grew with time. He first crossed paths with Donald Trump in the early 70s when Trump and his father were sued by the US government for discriminatory housing practices. Cohn acted as Trump's legal representative and filed a countersuit against the government for $100 million while claiming that allegations against Trump were irresponsible and baseless, as per The New York Times.
The countersuit was unsuccessful and Trump had to settle the charges out of the court. However, it marked the beginning of a special relationship still remembered in American political and legal history.
Roy Cohn helped Donald Trump rise to power
Cohn became Trump's go-to legal fixer, guiding him through lawsuits with a tough, combative strategy that Trump later embraced. He taught Trump the art of manipulating and controlling the public image using controversial methods. Cohn's ultimate mantra was to attack, counterattack and never apologize, something that Trump started to abide by.
For nearly a decade, Trump benefited from tax breaks and legal loopholes with the help of Roy Cohn's expertise. “Donald lost his moral compass when he allied with Roy Cohn," stated columnist Liz Smith, as per an archive report of Vanity Fair.
Cohn called Trump his "best friend" and didn't charge him by the hour for his legal services. Instead, he only requested payment when he needed cash, revealed late investigative journalist Wayne Barrett in 'Trump: The Greatest Show on Earth'.
How did Roy Cohn die?
Cohn was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 and his health severely deteriorated by 1985. However, he lied about his illness and claimed that he had liver cancer. On August 2, 1986, he died of complications from AIDS, at the age of 59, reported The New York Times.
A few weeks before his death, he was disbarred for unethical conduct, ranging from fraud to misappropriating funds. He was also sued for $7 million by the Internal Revenue Service, as per the Los Angeles Times. While his fellow lawyers had turned against him, he continued to enjoy the legal battles, claiming that they were the result of vendettas against him. One particular case that led to his disbarment involved a shady attempt to alter a dying man’s will to make himself the executor. Despite his disbarment, Donald Trump showed up as his character witness.
How to stream 'The Apprentice'?
"A young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), eager to make his name as a hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today. Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé -- someone with raw ambition, a hunger for success, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win," reads the synopsis for 'The Apprentice'.
Exploring the relationship between two men, the film aims to provoke conversations about the fine line between ambition and moral decay. It had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2024, and is now ready to hit the theaters on Friday, October 11. Details of its digital release are not yet announced.
'The Apprentice' trailer