Things Grow Tense For Sebastian Stan’s Donald Trump in First ‘The Apprentice’ Image

In the 1970s and 1980s, Donald Trump was best known for being a successful real estate mogul, and now a new biographical film by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi seeks to explore Trump’s rise in the real estate business in the aforementioned period under the guidance of Roy Cohn. The Apprentice is one of the selected films heading to this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France and while announcing the news, a first-look image was revealed that sets the tone for what the film is about (via The Hollywood Reporter). Below, the film’s official logline tees up what people can expect from it.

“
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 image offers a perfect window into the period and the relationship between Trump and Cohn as they can be seen sitting at the back of a car sharing an interesting moment. Succession‘s number one boy, Jeremy Strong, plays Cohn, rocking a suit and a buzzcut, while Sebastian Stanbrings Trump to life in his suit and signature comb-over hairstyle. Through the car’s windows, one can see what’s unmistakably New York, but what’s going on inside it is the real story. Cohn leans and stares intensely at Trump, who appears to be preoccupied with a phone but is still present in the moment. The look elicits a perplexed look from Trump, who side-eyes Cohn while continuing with his phone business. If this image is any indicator, there were interesting dynamics between Trump and Cohn, whose relationship went beyond real estate well into Trump’s political career.

Who Is Behind The Apprentice?

The film hails from Iran-born Danish filmmaker, Abbasi. He directed the film from a script by Gabriel Sherman. Stan is known for his role as Captain Bucky Barnes in the MCU, but his career spans genres and mediums. He plays a young and ambitious Trump who is known for his unique persona and voice. Strong plays Cohn, who was a lawyer and commonly described as Trump’s fixer. Strong’s breakout role was in Succession but had been in theater for many years prior. His portrayal of Kendall Roy won him several nominations and wins in various awards. Maria Bakalova, whose performance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm earned her accolades, plays Ivana Trump, while Martin Donovan is Donald’s father, Fred Trump.

The film will have its world premiere this May at Cannes.