His friends and family also had concerns: “I had people tell me not to do it.
I had people tell me I don’t look like him.
I had people tell me that it’s not safe for me to do it.
Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’.Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment, Rich Spirit
I had people say that I shouldn’t take a stab at alienate half the country.”
But Stan found those warnings “weirdly motivating” and decided to take the plunge.
I wanted to go for the essence.
Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’.Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment, Rich Spirit
Abbasi also favored a “less is more” approach, but he didn’t always feel that way.
Abbasi also suggested that Stan start packing on some pounds.
So, the nutritionist came back with some unusual advice.
Roy Cohn and Donald Trump in 1983.Sonia Moskowitz/Getty
The film’s decade-spanning period presented additional hurdles.
WhenThe Apprenticestarts, Trump is in his late 20s and still drawing comparisons to a young Robert Redford.
“He had very bushy eyebrows; he gained some weight; his hair was changing.
Donald Trump and Roy Cohn in 1983.Guy DeLort/WWD/Penske Media via Getty
So, there were changes to the prosthetics and the makeup, but not drastic.
Just enough so you’ve got the option to understand the process.”
Want more movie news?
Still, the most crucial aspect of Stan’s transformation was becoming more like Trump on the inside.
He started by throwing himself into his research.
Sonia Moskowitz/Getty
That thorough research was crucial to the filming process, as Abbasi favored an improvisational approach.
Stan and Strong also opted to stay in character throughout production.
“I never saw him out of costume, and he never saw me out of costume.
“Look, I am not a therapist….
I am an actor.
“I understood that simply from my own very, very small, humble beginnings with the American dream.
We love a winner in this country; it’s just a fact.”
