Sebastian Stan criticises Cannes audience for laughing at Trump role

EntertainmentPolitics
20 May 2026 • 12:07 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Sebastian Stan criticises Cannes audience for laughing at Trump role

  • Actor Sebastian Stan criticised the audience at Cannes Film Festival for laughing when asked about his portrayal of Donald Trump in the film The Apprentice, stating it was 'not a laughing matter' and that society is in a 'really, really bad place'.
  • Stan highlighted concerns about media consolidation, censorship, and endless lawsuits, suggesting these issues were evident even before the film's release.
  • The film. released before the 2024 presidential election, depicted Donald Trump's early career as a real estate businessman in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s, focusing on his relationship with attorney Roy Cohn.
  • Donald Trump attempted to prevent the film's release by sending a cease and desist letter to its producers, with his campaign calling it 'garbage' and 'pure fiction', and Trump himself labelling it “fake'”and “classless”.
  • Stan, who previously suggested Trump should be 'grateful' for the film's complex portrayal, also spoke about the censorship challenges faced by the movie, noting they experienced such issues “way before'”other public figures.

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