When it comes to the cinema, there’s few people who can compete with Donald Trump in terms of celebrity. Over the years, the president’s had a hand in some of the biggest films ever made, including The Apprentice, Titanic, and Zoolander. Now that he’s an author, he’s turned his attention to writing. While some of his works seem to have been inspired by real-life events, others are completely made up. Who’s the best actor in these movies? Let’s take a look.
The Apprentice
It’s hard to believe that The Apprentice—a show that was inspired by Trump’s business acumen—was actually made before he became president. The Donald was a part of the show’s original pilot but was removed after the first season. The original idea for the series came from Mark Burnett, who produced the show with Donald’s then-wife, Marjorie Merriweather. According to Burnett, the show was inspired by John Fortune’s bestselling book, The Rockefeller Rules. The gist of the book is that the world’s richest and most powerful people adhere to strict rules for self-preservation and protection of their status. Trump apparently agreed, and made a few calls to friends in the film industry, who helped get him on board.
The series follows the wealthy and powerful contestants as they compete for a spot on Trump’s business page, where they can offer advice on how to run one’s company. The winner gets a job working for Trump, alongside his children, and has their pick of the women they want to marry. It’s basically The Bachelorette with a dash of Trump’s infamous tantrums.
Titanic
Another movie that made a lasting impression on readers is James Cameron’s Titanic. If you haven’t seen it yet, you may be familiar with some of its more memorable lines: “I’m not condoning what they did, but it is said that the women had more courage in those days,” and “She’s very sensual. Very elegant. And she has lots of money.”
The 1912 classic is arguably the greatest love story of all time. Set aboard the unsinkable ship, the movie is mostly told in a series of extravagant ball scenes. One of the most memorable scenes has the doomed ship’s first-class passengers celebrating Christmas. The movie also prominently features a “supper club,” which was inspired by the social gatherings held by the English upper classes in early 20th century Britain. If you want to see a time capsule of American and English high society in the early 20th century, then play this movie frequently.
Zoolander
Another classic that didn’t get the respect it deserved was Zoolander. The movie, which is an adaptation of the 2001 book The Best Of Both Worlds, followed the adventures of Richard (Ben Kingsley) a successful British fashion designer who moves to New York City after being disowned by his family. There, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful, statuesque model (Mylene Medow), only to have his entire world turned upside down when she jilts him at the altar during the wedding ceremony.
One of the most famous scenes in the movie is Richard’s elaborate revenge plan, which includes stuffing his rival’s dog with dynamite and sending a package to his home. While these are all very entertaining scenes, it’s important to remember that they’re just that: scenes. The movie is more of a comedy than it is a tragedy, and it definitely features some of the most memorable lines in cinematic history: “I don’t think that anyone could ever replace my mother. She was the most wonderful, generous person that ever lived,” and “You call this a hobby? I think of it as a lifestyle!” If you want to see more of Richard than some of the most regrettable moments of his life, then give this one a try.
The Martian
Last but not least, we have The Martian, a 2015 sci-fi movie in which human reproduction was used as a metaphor for colonizing Mars. The movie’s namesake is an extraterrestrial (played by Andy Serkis) who crash-lands on Earth, where he starts developing feelings for botanist Melissa Smith (played by Jessica Chastain). When Melissa discovers that the Martian’s ship crashed because of a fuel spill, she gets her hands on some replacement fuel, and the two of them have a passionate affair. Unfortunately, because that was the last of their fuel, the trip ends in tragedy when she gives birth to a stillborn baby.
This movie was an experiment in virtual reality, which is evident in the way that it immerses the audience in the middle of the action. While some may argue that the effects are a bit gimmicky, they definitely work for the most part, and there are some scenes—like the one where Melissa gives birth—that are definitely unforgettable.
The point of these examples is that while we may have wanted to see Trump in a movie, he wasn’t always the best choice for the part. Some of his most famous lines were spoken by other characters, and it wasn’t always clear who was speaking them. But one thing’s for sure: when it comes to the cinematic world, Donald Trump still likes to party.