Members of the crew working on an Amazon MGM Studios documentary about first lady Melania Trump have shared their hope that the film fails commercially. This is according to a Rolling Stone report detailing a production plagued by long hours, disorganization, and ongoing access issues with the Secret Service.
Rolling Stone revealed that several crew members who participated in the documentary, titled Melania, found the shoot to be “highly disorganized” and “very chaotic.” Some team members later regretted being associated with the project.
“People were worked really hard. Really long hours, very disorganized, very chaotic,” one individual told Rolling Stone, as mentioned in the report.
Another crew member expressed to the magazine that the job was “not easy money,” pointing out the practical limitations of filming a first lady. “With the first lady and Secret Service, you can’t just do things you usually do,” they said.
Rolling Stone also reported that some crew members wanted to distance themselves from the final film. One person told the magazine they felt “much more alarmed now than I was a year ago.” Another source indicated that nearly two-thirds of the New York crew requested to have their names removed from the credits.
A third source expressed discomfort with the perceived political messaging, stating, “I feel a little bit uncomfortable with the propaganda element of this. But Brett Ratner was the worst part of working on this project.” Another individual told the magazine they would “feel great” if the film did poorly.
The documentary is directed by Brett Ratner, whose last major feature film credit was 2014’s Hercules. Ratner returned to Hollywood after taking a break amid allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct reported in 2017, which he disputed through representatives at the time.
Amazon MGM has defended its choice to distribute the film, claiming it expects strong audience interest. In a statement mentioned by New York magazine’s Intelligencer, an Amazon spokesperson said the company licensed the project “for one reason and one reason only,” believing “customers are going to love it.”
The project has generated attention not just because it focuses on a sitting first lady, but also due to the significant financial commitment involved in making a documentary. CNN reported, via WRAL, that Amazon MGM’s agreement with Melania Trump was approximately $40 million, with about $35 million more allocated for marketing related to a theatrical release. Variety previously reported that Amazon MGM licensed the documentary for $40 million and planned a January release.
Initial signs of audience demand have been mixed. The Guardian reported on Monday that the film is facing challenges in some U.K. theaters, with one major cinema chain calling ticket sales “soft,” even as the documentary was shown in over 100 cinemas across the country.
The White House held a private screening of the documentary recently, attended by Ratner and a mix of high-profile guests.
Rolling Stone’s behind-the-scenes account, drawing from multiple crew members, depicted the production as unusually difficult for a documentary, given the security and scheduling constraints surrounding the subject. These challenges were further complicated by what crew members described as chaotic management.
Amazon MGM did not publicly address the specific complaints from the crew outlined by Rolling Stone but reiterated through a spokesperson, in a statement reported elsewhere, that the company anticipates audiences will embrace the film.
