Tom Hanks Wanted to Keep Trump From Screening a New Movie at the White House
Actor Tom Hanks made headlines late last month for his not-so-subtle dig at President Donald Trump, as he indicated he would not want to screen his latest movie — “The Post” — at the Trump White House.
But despite that sentiment, the film may end up being shown at the White House anyway.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Trump’s team asked for and was given access to the drama, meaning it can be shown at both the White House itself and at Camp David, where the president is hosting a summit with congressional leaders on Saturday and Sunday.
It’s unclear who exactly the request came from, and whether Trump specifically has a desire to see the film.
As THR pointed out, it’s not unusual for the White House to be provided access to new releases for the first family or the president’s staff to watch. Under the Trump administration, this practice has apparently continued.
The White House’s interest in “The Post,” however is notable due to the fact that Hanks and producer Steven Spielberg have not shied away from talking about how the film’s themes apply today, especially under the current administration.
Moreover, co-star Meryl Streep has been a vocal critic of Trump in the past.
The film tells the story of The Washington Post’s work reporting on the top-secret Pentagon Papers, and Hanks himself compared the Nixon administration’s flouting of the First Amendment to the Trump administration’s current treatment of the news media.
“The Nixon administration tried to stop the story from being published. They took on the First Amendment by saying: ‘You can’t tell that story, and if you do, we’re going to threaten you,’” Hanks said.
“That is going on, of course, right now.”
Spielberg echoed similar sentiments in a separate interview with THR conducted last month.
“I could not believe the similarities between today and what happened with the Nixon administration against their avowed enemies The New York Times and The Washington Post. I realized this was the only year to make this film,” he said.
However, according to Leslee Dart, who represents Hanks and Streep, no one in cast of the film has any issue with the movie being screened by the Trump administration.
“There was absolutely no resistance by the cast or anyone,” Dart told The Daily Beast.
Moreover, co-producer Amy Pascal told THR that many high-ranking Republicans attended a recent private screening of the film in Washington, D.C., including White House counselor Kellyanne Conway.
Apparently, those who saw it were fans.
“They completely loved the movie, because the movie is about America and the movie is about the truth. This movie is for everyone. Kellyanne loved it, too, and danced all night with (“The Post” co-writer) Josh Singer,” Pascal said.
“I think it has been an unspoken truth in Hollywood that people are scared to make movies about politics. “The Post” is proof that this isn’t true,” she added. “And the idea of a woman finding her voice is as relevant as politics in the movie.”
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