Awards prospects for Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice might have less to do with today’s Cannes premiere or whatever date the eventual distributor places it for domestic release. November 5th might be the biggest factor in whether it gets various nominations. That’s the date of the Presidential election and Oscar voters could react based on the results of whether the 45th POTUS becomes the 47th POTUS.
Set in the 1970s and 80s, this is essentially a Donald Trump origin story about ruthless attorney Roy Cohn’s influence on his life. Sebastian Stan is Trump with Jeremy Strong as Cohn. Costars include Maria Bakalova as Ivana and Martin Donovan as family patriarch Fred.
Reviews trickling in from France are somewhat all over the map. Yet compliments for the men playing Trump and Cohn is mostly universal. Mr. Stan’s biggest competition for a final five slot in Actor could be himself as he’s also being lauded for A Different Man. It rolled out at Sundance and is slated for a September domestic bow. Strong, an Emmy winner for Succession, could book his first Academy recognition in Supporting Actor. In fact, he might be in competition with his costar/onscreen sibling from that acclaimed HBO show in Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain). As for Bakalova, a previous nominee for the Borat sequel in 2020, her role is probably too small to contend.
If Stan and Strong are up for their roles, it greatly increases the chances of BP inclusion despite the varying reactions. I am skeptical that Abbasi (maker of international critical darlings Border and Holy Spider) or the screenplay are up (the latter would be more feasible). Yet it might be the general election ballot that ultimately chooses the viability of The Apprentice. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
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