Scarlett Johansson Calls Out The Studios For Dropping The Ball On Fellow MCU Star Sebastian Stan’s Donald Trump Movie: ‘It Was Buried’

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In the Marvel Cinemaverse, the Avengers were always there for each other, and it appears this camaraderie extends beyond the silver screen. Recently, Scarlett Johansson stepped up to support her fellow Avenger, Sebastian Stan, by voicing her opinion that one of his films from last year was unfairly criticized in Hollywood.

2024 proved to be a remarkable year for me, as I found myself tackling two captivating roles in the films “A Different Man” and “The Apprentice.” The former, a gripping drama, showcased a different side of my acting prowess, while the latter delved into the rise of our current U.S. President. Scarlett Johansson, who’s not exactly on board with our sitting President, spoke up in an interview with Vanity Fair about my performance in “A Different Man.” Despite the film garnering some awards consideration, she pointed out that it was somewhat overlooked by studios. Johasson stated…

In simpler terms, you’d say, “Here’s where you might respond, ‘You can certainly try to resist it in such ways.’ However, there seems to have been some confusion regarding the outcome; it appears as though the announcement got hidden or delayed.

Indeed, Scarlett Johansson’s assertion that Hollywood “buried” The Apprentice appears to have some basis. The movie faced significant challenges when it came to distribution. It seemed as though none of the big-name studios were interested in associating with the film. Eventually, a smaller production company, Briarcliff Entertainment, took on the project.

The Apprentice reviews were generally favorable, and the film garnered numerous award nominations, primarily due to the convincing portrayals of Donald Trump and Roy Cohn by Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong respectively. Yet, despite these nominations, it didn’t secure any significant awards and its global box office earnings fell short of $20 million.

In contrast to many Oscar-winning dramas that often struggle at the box office, they generally outperform shows like “The Apprentice”. For instance, the Best Picture winner “Anora” grossed nearly $60 million worldwide, which may not seem like much compared to Hollywood’s total earnings, but it’s three times what “The Apprentice” made. Notably, “The Apprentice” had a well-known figure as its lead actor.

In a nutshell, “The Apprentice” didn’t show Donald Trump in a favorable light, which Scarlett Johansson believes made movie studios apprehensive about taking on the project. If any studio had chosen to distribute it, they may have faced potential backlash, given Trump’s political status at the time. However, it was uncertain whether Trump would regain the presidency following the film’s release, but the possibility certainly loomed large.

If such an event occurred, it would have been quite likely that some form of repercussion would ensue. Trump has previously criticized Saturday Night Live over their portrayal of him. Even the cast members of The Apprentice attempted to minimize the political aspects of the show.

Johansson’s personal political views clearly differ from studios fearing movies due to political reasons in this particular instance. Regardless of the political stance, the underlying principle remains relevant: Art often serves to question power structures. When such questioning is intentionally avoided, it raises concerns about creative freedom and artistic integrity.

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2025-05-17 00:07