'Melania' documentary, helmed by controversial filmmaker, arrives amid national turmoil
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When Melania Trump showed up on movie screens in 2001, it was a joke.The former fashion model and her spouse, Donald Trump, then only a real estate mogul, played themselves in the Ben Stiller comedy “Zoolander,” about a dimwitted male supermodel.She silently looked on as her husband gushed at an awards show red carpet: “Without Derek Zoolander, male modeling would not be where it is today.”The cameo offers a glimpse of the couple, who in 2017 would enter the White House as president and first lady.
As they move past the first anniversary of their second stint in Washington, D.C., Melania has largely stayed away from the spotlight.But this week the first lady is preparing for her close-up.
She is center stage as star and executive producer in the documentary “Melania” hitting theaters Friday.Positioned as a companion to her best-selling memoir, “Melania” has been shadowed by controversy since its announcement several months ago.
The project marks a comeback attempt by Hollywood filmmaker Brett Ratner, the director of the documentary, who was exiled from Hollywood in 2017 following charges of sexual misconduct by multiple women, including actor Olivia Munn.He continues to deny the accusations.
Hollywood Inc.Once considered a box-office king for hits like ‘Rush Hour,’ Ratner was banished during #MeToo.
With President Trump’s support and ‘Melania,’ he’s returned.Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million to license the project, and sources said it is spending around $35 million for marketing and promotion.Melania is skipping the traditional TV talk show circuit, opting for an appearance on Fox News, which featured an exclusive interview with her on Tuesday — her first since returning to the White House.
The following day, she rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.Trailers for the film have popped up on several networks including CNN, a freq...