The Apprentice: how to watch, awards, reviews, trailer, cast, plot, reviews and everything we know about the Sebastian Stan movie

Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice
Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice (Image credit: APPRENTICE PRODUCTIONS/ONTARIO INC)

Just about everything that deals with former president Donald Trump these days becomes a lightning rod for attention. That's no different for the 2024 new movie about the former president's younger years, The Apprentice, which is already stirring a lot of buzz after it officially premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Trump's reelection campaign has already released a statement calling the movie "pure fiction" and "blatantly false," according to reports. The director, Ali Abbasi, however, has extended an olive branch, offering to screen the movie privately for the president. Whether or not that actually happens, this adds another wrinkle to an already hectic year for Trump and US politics.

Find out everything you need to know about The Apprentice right here.

The Apprentice how to watch

The Apprentice is now available via digital on-demand platforms in the US and the UK.

The Apprentice cast

Taking on the role of Donald Trump in The Apprentice is Sebastian Stan. Best known for his time as Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier in the MCU, this is one of Stan's more dramatic turns. Some of his other recent roles have included Dumb Money, Pam & Tommy and Fresh.

Jeremy Strong also stars in the movie, playing Roy Cohn, who serves as a mentor to the young Trump in the movie. Strong most recently wrapped up his run on the hit series Succession, but he has also been busy with a movie slate in recent years that includes Armageddon Time, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Gentlemen (the movie, not the Netflix series).

Rounding out the main cast is Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, Donald Trump's first wife. Bakalova broke out after her debut in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and has since starred in The Bubble, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Unfrosted.

The Apprentice plot

Gabriel Sherman wrote the original screenplay for The Apprentice, which claims to be "inspired" by the events of Donald Trump's life. Here is the synopsis for the movie:

"The Apprentice is a dive into the underbelly of the American empire. It charts a young Donald Trump's ascent to power through a Faustian deal with the influential right-wing lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn."

The Apprentice trailer

Watch the trailer for The Apprentice right here:

You can also check out this clip from the movie, getting a good look at Sebastian Stan's performance as Trump:

THE APPRENTICE - Exclusive Clip - Starring Sebastian Stan & Jeremy Strong - YouTube THE APPRENTICE - Exclusive Clip - Starring Sebastian Stan & Jeremy Strong - YouTube
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The Apprentice reviews

Reviews for The Apprentice saw the movie score a "Certified Fresh" 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Apprentice awards

Check out all of the major awards and nominations that The Apprentice has earned to date:

Golden Globes

  • Best Actor Drama — Sebastian Stan (nominee)
  • Best Supporting Actor — Jeremy Strong (nominee)

Independent Spirit Awards

  • Best Director — Ali Abbasi (nominee)
  • Best Lead Performance — Sebastian Stan (nominee)
  • Best Editing (nominee)

Ali Abbasi movies

Here is a look at the other feature-length movies that Ali Abbasi has directed in his career to date:

  • Shelley (2016)
  • Border (2018)
  • Holy Spider (2022)

He also directed two episodes of The Last of Us season 1.

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Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.

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