Mainstream media did not have access to the premiere of “Melania” at the Trump Kennedy Center
The documentary “Melania,” about former first lady Melania Trump, premiered Thursday night at the Trump Kennedy Center, but most of the mainstream media did not have access to the screening. Reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP and Vanity Fair were not given tickets, and the only members of the press present on the red carpet were Dan Ball and his wife, Peyton Drew, of One America News, according to Variety.
The premiere of the documentary “Melania”, about former first lady Melania Trump, took place on Thursday. PHOTO: X
In the hours leading up to the event, journalists were discussing who would get access, but as members of the Trump administration arrived, it became clear that most would not be able to attend. Officials such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Pete Hegseth, Lee Zeldin and Mike Johnson were in attendance at the event, along with director Brett Ratner and producer Marc Beckman.
Although press access was limited, President Donald Trump answered a few questions from reporters and Melania Trump, dressed in a black Dolce & Gabbana suit, posed for photographers. Asked about the film's costs — Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the rights and about $35 million for marketing — Trump said: “It was my wife's decision. I consider the film very important and a big deal.”
The film is expected to take in between $3 million and $5 million at the box office this weekend, despite the huge budget. Screenshots of empty cinemas have gone viral on social media, although producer Marc Beckman claims reports “real numbers” i am “very positive”.
The documentary marks the return of Brett Ratner after several allegations of sexual harassment in 2017. The director explained that some members of the team preferred not to be officially named for safety reasons.
“I understand if a liberal is working on a movie and doesn't want to be mentioned, but wants to feed his family. I don't blame anyone for that.” he declared.
Robert Kennedy Jr. said he attended to support Melania Trump, appreciating her involvement in areas such as children's health and the protection of children in the foster care system. “I think she's been portrayed as a one-dimensional figure, but that's not what she is.”
