Amazon MGM Studios restricted access for much of the mainstream media at the Washington premiere of Melania, a documentary centered on First Lady Melania Trump. The move left dozens of reporters on the red carpet unable to attend the film’s screening despite being present at the event.
According to Variety, the invite-only screening was held Thursday evening, per local time, at the Trump Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. While reporters from major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Associated Press and Vanity Fair were credentialed for the red carpet, they were not granted entry to the screening upstairs in the Opera House.
The only press figures without separate invitations who were allowed inside were One America News Network anchor Dan Ball and his wife, Peyton Drew, a producer for the network.
According to Variety, Ball was dismissive of other journalists, urging officials to skip what he described as “fake news”.
Trump engages despite restrictions
Despite the limited access to the documentary itself, President Donald Trump spent time answering questions from mainstream outlets on the red carpet. Reporters asked about issues unrelated to the film, including the status of government funding negotiations and when he plans to name a new Federal Reserve chair.
When questioned about Amazon’s reported spending on the documentary, approximately $40 million for distribution rights and an additional $35 million in marketing, Trump said he “wasn’t involved with that.” He added that the project was handled by his wife and called the film “very important,” according to Variety.
{{/usCountry}}When questioned about Amazon’s reported spending on the documentary, approximately $40 million for distribution rights and an additional $35 million in marketing, Trump said he “wasn’t involved with that.” He added that the project was handled by his wife and called the film “very important,” according to Variety.
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High-profile turnout
The premiere drew several senior administration officials, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Pete Hegseth, Lee Zeldin and House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with director Brett Ratner and producer Marc Beckman.
Despite its high-profile debut and sizable investment, the documentary is expected to earn between $3 million and $5 million in its opening weekend, Variety reported.
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Online speculation about low ticket sales has circulated widely, though Beckman said internal tracking suggests the film is performing better than publicly visible figures indicate.
The documentary marks Ratner’s return to directing following a long hiatus after sexual misconduct allegations in 2017.