Melania Trump headed to the screen with new Amazon documentary
By Elizabeth Wagmeister and Betsy Klein, CNN
(CNN) — Incoming first lady Melania Trump will be the subject of a new documentary coming to Amazon’s Prime Video this year, CNN has learned, offering a rare window into one of President-elect Donald Trump’s most trusted — and famously private — advisers.
Donald Trump — a former reality star — has not been a popular figure in Hollywood since entering politics in 2015. But Amazon’s decision to license the project indicates the streamer recognizes his popularity among many Americans, who elected Trump to a second term in November. And Melania Trump, who remains one of the most fascinating and mysterious figures on the planet, will get to share her story with a global streaming audience.
“Prime Video will be sharing more details on the project as filming progresses and release plans are finalized. We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.
Melania Trump will serve as an executive producer of the project, signaling that the documentary is being made with her full participation — and editorial control. The documentary began filming in December, the month after Donald Trump won reelection, and is slated to be released in mid-2025, a few months after he takes office.
The still-untitled documentary is being directed by Brett Ratner and will mark the filmmaker’s first major project since 2017, when he was accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women. Ratner has denied the allegations.
The documentary will have both a theatrical and streaming release, according to Amazon. Fox News Digital first reported on the documentary.
Melania Trump’s autobiography, which was published in October, remains a bestseller on Amazon and was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller when released.
CNN has reported the former and future first lady is unlikely to return to Washington full time after her husband’s inauguration, underscoring her willingness to buck tradition as she returns to her high-profile but unelected role on the world stage. Discussions about how and where she’ll spend her time are ongoing, the sources said.
“I’m not anxious because this time is different. I have much more experience and much more knowledge. I was in the White House before. When you go in, you know exactly what to expect,” Melania Trump said in an interview with Fox News last year as she promoted her memoir.
The incoming first lady is expected to spend most of her time over the next four years not at the White House, but between New York City and Palm Beach, Florida, sources familiar with her thinking told CNN. However, they insisted she would still be present for major events and would have her own platform and priorities as first lady.
Her preference, sources familiar with her thinking said, is not to be publicly involved, and there is no internal backlash among the president-elect’s team.
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