'Melania' director Brett Ratner turns up in Epstein files, again

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Controversial director Brett Ratner, whose documentary “Melania,” about the first lady, premiered last week, found himself in the headlines once again over his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.A photograph, part of the trove of files released Friday in the Department of Justice’s investigation into Epstein, shows Ratner sitting on a couch with his arms wrapped around a woman, whose identity is concealed.She is sitting next to Epstein and a second woman, who is also redacted in the photo and is sitting at the far end of the couch next to the disgraced financier.

It is unclear where the photo was taken or when.The filmmaker is among several prominent individuals from the worlds of entertainment, technology, politics and business — including L.A.Olympics boss Casey Wasserman — who have turned up among the millions of files that the Justice Department has released.

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.Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in Manhattan Correctional Center while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.Ratner’s name also surfaces in a number of emails contained in the released files in which Epstein discusses his attempts to connect with the director and descriptions in which their social circles overlap.It is not the first time Ratner turned up in Epstein’s orbit.

In December, his photo appeared in an earlier batch of files the department released.In the undated photograph, Ratner is seen seated, hugging a shirtless Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent and an Epstein associate.Brunel died of an apparent suicide in 2022 in a French prison while awaiting trial on charges that he had raped a minor.Ratner has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.A spokesperson for the director did not imme...