‘The Apprentice’ Director Ali Abbasi Signs With UTA

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Ali Abbasi has signed with UTA for representation.

In 2024, Abbasi’s fourth film, titled “The Apprentice,” had its premiere in the Competition section at the Cannes Film Festival, making it his third film selected for this prestigious event. Starring Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, and Maria Bakalova, the movie chronicles Donald Trump’s journey through the real estate world during the ’80s under the tutelage of lawyer Roy Cohn. Despite facing difficulties in securing mainstream distributors, it garnered noticeable attention throughout this awards season. Notably, it was nominated for two Oscars, two Golden Globes, three BAFTAs, and three Independent Spirit Awards, with Abbasi himself receiving a nomination for Best Director.

In a similar vein, Abbasi’s prior work, titled “Holy Spider,” previously screened in the Competition section at Cannes and earned Zar Amir-Ebrahimi the Best Actress award. Additionally, this film was recognized with four nominations for the European Film Awards.

In the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, his second production titled “Border” took home the Un Certain Regard Award. The film garnered an Oscar nomination in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category, as well as six European Film Awards nods. It eventually won the award for Best Visual Effects.

For television, Abbasi was responsible for directing the last two episodes in the critically-acclaimed first season of HBO’s show “The Last of Us”.

Originally from Iran but now residing in Denmark, Abbasi pursued architecture studies in Stockholm. Later, he furthered his education at the highly regarded Danish National Film School.

Last month, I chose to depart from CAA after allegations of inappropriate behavior at this year’s Golden Globes surfaced. “I recognize that my actions may have caused discomfort, regardless of my intentions,” I expressed in a social media post. “On multiple occasions, I had believed we shared a friendly relationship with the person involved. At the Golden Globes party, I was eager to reconnect. Unfortunately, I made a gesture that was too familiar – a playful slap on the backside – which I never intended as anything sexual. It soon became clear that I had misunderstood the situation. On the spot, I apologized to him, and the next day, I ensured my apology was conveyed through my representatives.

Abbasi will continue to be represented by LARK in the UK.

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2025-03-07 22:01