Speculation surrounding Maria Bakalova‘s portrayal of Ivana Trump in The Apprentice has increased. She has now clarified that the movie is not political and does not aim to critique Donald Trump‘s political career.
The Apprentice’s Ivana Trump actor Maria Bakalova says movie isn’t a ‘hit piece’
In an interview with The Guardian, Maria Bakalova, who plays Ivana Trump in the upcoming film The Apprentice, clarified that the movie “is not a political film, this is not a hit piece.” She said it aims to show the complexities of Donald Trump’s relationship with his late wife Ivana Trump. Bakalova shared, “When you dive deeper into a human being, there’s always good and bad sides.”
The film explores the power dynamics between Ivana and Donald Trump, especially in their early years. Bakalova added, “I think she was the reason he achieved so much early because she was very smart, very ambitious.”
The actor prepared for her role by studying Ivana’s life in the 1970s and 1980s, emphasizing Ivana’s achievements and contributions to Donald’s early success. “She wanted to be Donald’s partner,” Bakalova explained.
The production faced numerous obstacles, including reluctance from Hollywood studios to finance a film that “humanizes” Trump. Screenwriter Gabriel Sherman pointed out, “Hollywood fashions itself as a community of truth tellers, but here they were running from a movie to prepare for a Trump presidency.”
The film includes sensitive subject matter, such as Ivana’s retracted allegations of rape against Donald. Bakalova emphasized the importance of including the alleged rape scene. “Do I think it’s a crucial scene for both of the characters? It is,” the Bodies Bodies Bodies star said. She further explained the reason behind it, saying, “Because we see somebody completely dismissing the person who built him in a lot of ways, who gave birth to his children. Not only physically, but verbally as well.”
The Apprentice is currently playing in theaters.
