In a recent interview with Bill Maher, Woody Allen, the four-time Oscar-winning director, expressed his admiration for President Trump's acting skills.
Allen, who directed Trump in the 1998 film "Celebrity," spoke highly of the President's performance and professionalism on set.
"Celebrity," a film often overlooked in Allen's extensive filmography, features Kenneth Branagh as a celebrity journalist navigating the chaotic world of fame. The film is packed with cameos from notable stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio,
Melanie Griffith, and Charlize Theron, who humorously parody their public personas. Trump, playing himself, also made an appearance, delivering the memorable line, Well, Im working on buying St. Patricks Cathedral. Maybe doing a little rip-down job and putting up a very, very tall and beautiful building.
According to Breitbart, towards the end of the 90-minute Club Random interview, the conversation shifted towards the controversial allegations against Allen and the subsequent impact on his career. Maher pointed out that it was primarily the political left that had led to the downfall of Allen's career.
Despite the controversy surrounding him, Allen, who rarely gives interviews, handled the conversation with grace. He expressed indifference towards the cancellation of his career, stating that he had already made about 50 movies and had more than enough money to live comfortably.
Regarding those who had worked with him and later disowned him, Allen was remarkably forgiving, stating, "They think they are doing good and dont know they are wrong."
Allen also clarified his stance on the #MeToo movement and cancel culture. Theres a difference between the #MeToo movement and cancel culture, he said. The #MeToo movement, for whatever value it had in terms of advancing womens rights, is a valuable thing. Cancel culture is a totally different phenomenon a pernicious thing. Its quite a bad thing.
Allen further elaborated, If youre going to be canceled by a culture, this is the culture to be canceled by. This is not a culture to be proud of. He acknowledged the positive impact of the #MeToo movement on women's rights but criticized the concept of cancel culture, stating, "cancellation is just not a way to deal with issues. It doesnt serve any purpose.
When Maher brought up Trump, Allen clarified, No, Im not a Trumper. I am one of the few people who can say he directed Trump.
He praised Trump's acting skills, saying, He was a pleasure to work with and a very good actor. He was very polite, hit his mark, did everything correctly, and had a real flair for show business. I could direct him now. If he would let me direct him now that hes president, I think I could do wonders.
Despite his praise for Trump's acting, Allen made it clear that he did not support Trump's political policies. Im a Democrat, I voted for Kamala Harris, and I take issue with [Trump] on 95 percent of his [policies], maybe 99 percent. But as an actor, he was very good. He was very convincing. He has a charismatic quality as an actor, and Im surprised he wanted to go into politics.
The interview provides a rare glimpse into Allen's thoughts on his career, the controversies surrounding him, and his experience working with Trump. Despite the challenges he has faced over the past five years, Allen remains sharp and seemingly at peace.
He has no upcoming films, but he has written a play that will be staged in Europe and has a novel set to be released later this month.
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