Several months after its debut at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, the highly-anticipatedThe Apprenticeis releasing in theaters. The Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi directed the biopic that follows Donald Trump’s rise to prominence in the real estate business during the 1970s and 1980s, with the former United States president not involved in the making of the film.The Apprenticedebuted to positive reviewsfollowing its Cannes debut.
Despite the largely positive reception,The Apprentice’s release became controversialas the film struggled to find a U.S. distributor following legal action from Trump and his supporters. Other controversies revolved around Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder, who demanded a recut after investing via the production company Kinematics because he was under the impression that the film would have a favorable depiction of Trump.The Apprenticeeventually landed Briarcliff Entertainment as a U.S. distributor, ensuring the project would be released in theaters domestically and internationally, and featuring an impressive cast to tell its story.
Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump
Date of Birth: August 11, 2025
Actor: Sebastian Stan is a Romanian-American actor born in Constanța, Romania. His first onscreen role was as an unnamed child on a subway in the 1994 film71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance.His breakout role was as Bucky Barnesin 2011’sCaptain America: The First Avenger. Stan continued to play Bucky in many future Marvel Cinematic Universe films and television series as well. He also played Jefferson/the Mad Hatter in seasons 1 and 2 of ABC’s popular fairy tale seriesOnce Upon a Time, and starred alongside Margot Robbie in the critically acclaimed filmI, Tonya.
2011
2012
2014
2017
Tommy Lee
2022
Character: InThe Apprentice,Stan plays a younger version of Trumpdecades before he becomes a well-known reality television host or the President of the United States of America. At this stage in his life, Trump is still trying to make a name for himself in his early years involved in the real estate business. The film will also offer insight into Trump’s marriage with his first wife, Ivana, and his relationship with his father, Fred Trump.
Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn
Date of Birth: July 01, 2025
Actor: Jeremy Strong is an American actor born in Boston, Massachusetts.Strong’s breakout role came asSuccession’s Kendall Roy, as he went on to win multiple awards recognizing his performance in the critically acclaimed HBO series, and became known for his commitment to method acting. He has had supporting roles in a number of films, including the Jessica Chastain-ledMolly’s Game, Aaron Sorkin’sThe Trial of the Chicago 7, and starring alongside Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins in 2022’sArmageddon Time.
2015
2018-2023
The Trial of the Chicago 7
2020
Irving Graff
Character: Strong plays Roy Cohn inThe Apprentice, a cutthroat lawyer and prosecutor who helps Trump in the early years of his career. Cohn was previously well-known because of the role he played during Senator Joseph McCarthy’s hearings during the Red Scare. Other than Trump, Cohn receives the most focus inThe Apprentice, with his ruthless tactics helping Trump achieve his goals and shaping his outlook in the business and political worlds. Cohn passed away in 1986 at the age of 59.
Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump
Date of Birth: June 22, 2025
Actor: Maria Bakalova is a Bulgarian actor who was born in Burgas, Bulgaria.Her international breakout role was inBorat Subsequent Moviefilmas the titular character’s teenage daughter, Tutar Sagdiyev. In 2022, she appeared alongside Pedro Pascal in Judd Apatow’s comedyThe Bubbleand alongside Amandla Stenberg in A24’sBodies Bodies Bodies. During that same year, she made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut by voicing the telepathic Cosmo the Spacedog in Disney+‘sThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Shereprised the role in 2023’sGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which was a commercial and critical hit.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Cosmo the Spacedog
2023
Character: Bakalova plays Trump’s first wife, Ivana, inThe Apprentice. The film follows their turbulent relationship after their marriage in 1977 and prior to their divorce in 1990, along with their time at the forefront of New York’s high society. Ivana’s scenes will focus more on Trump’s personal life during the 1970s and 1980s, while his scenes with Cohn will focus more on his business affairs during this time. The real-life Ivana passed away in 2022 at the age of 73.
Martin Donovan as Fred Trump
Date of Birth: July 25, 2025
Actor: Martin Donovan is an American actor born in Reseda, California.1990’sTrustserved as Donovan’s breakout rolein his portrayal of Matthew Slaughter, which became the first of many collaborations with director Hal Hartley. Donovan made his mark on television as Peter Scottson inWeeds,and appeared in Christopher Nolan’s 2002 filmInsomniaand his 2020 filmTenet. He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2015’sAnt-Manas Mitchell Carson, a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. secretly working for H.Y.D.R.A., and more recently starred in Netflix’s supernatural horror seriesArchive 81.
1990
2002
Weedsseasons 1 and 2
2005-2006
Virgil Davenport
Character: Donovan rounds outThe Apprentice’s main cast in the role of Trump’s father, Fred Trump. The elder Trump was a wealthy man also involved in the real estate business.The Apprenticewill see the father and son clashing over certain issues, including personal and business matters, although he famously gave his son a significant amount of money to help with his career. Fred Trump passed away in 1999 at the age of 93.
The Apprentice’s Supporting Cast & Characters
Ben Sullivan as Russell Eldridge- Ben Sullivan, who plays Russell Eldrige, an important figure in Roy Cohn’s life, has appeared in episodes ofThe Magicians,DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, andRiverdale.
Charlie Carrick as Fred Trump Jr. - Charlie Carrick, who plays Fred Trump Jr., the eldest son of Fred Trump Sr. and elder brother of Donald Trump, has been in episodes ofSupernatural,V, andPsych, and has a starring role inHidden Assets.
Catherine McNally as Mary Anne Trump- Catherine McNally, who plays Mary Anne Trump, the wife of Fred Trump Sr. and the mother of Donald Trump, has had roles inSchitt’s Creek,Anne With an E,The Handmaid’s Tale,In The Dark, andOrphan Black: Echoes.
Mark Rendall as Roger Stone- Mark Rendall, who plays Roger Stone, a political consultant who worked with Donald Trump, starred in theTales from the Neverending Story: The Beginningtelevision movie and in theNeverending Storytelevision series, along with appearances in three episodes ofHannibalseason 1.
The Apprentice
Cast
The Apprentice depicts a young Donald Trump in 1970s New York, highlighting his formative relationship with Roy Cohn, a ruthless attorney. As Trump seeks to establish his own legacy, Cohn identifies him as an ideal protégé, drawn to his ambition and determination to succeed at any cost.
