‘The levels of irony here are astonishing’: ‘The Apprentice’ director under fire for allegedly groping an A-List actor
Amid an already controversy-laden 2025 awards season, The Apprentice director Ali Abbasi has found himself at the center of a scandal after he allegedly groped an A-list actor during a Golden Globes event.
The Apprentice is many things, but a proverbial “pass” to sexually harass your colleagues probably isn’t one of them—as a matter of fact, that kind of goes against the whole message of the film, which explores the exploitative relationship between Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) and his mentor, Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). The semi-biopic is currently nominated for two Academy Awards in the Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor categories.
All this to say that it’s fairly ironic that the film’s director, Ali Abbasi, is now in hot water for non-consensually touching an actor’s rear—a move that might’ve just stained his filmmaking career forever.
Ali Abbasi accused of groping celebrity actor during Golden Globes afterparty
Earlier this week, multiple outlets reported that Abbasi had been dropped by his American management teams following an incident that took place after the 82nd Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2025. The identity of the victim has since remained anonymous, aside than the fact that he’s A) a man and B) supposedly a prominent figure in Hollywood.
Social media users were quick to point out the irony of the situation given Trump’s long and storied history of sexual assault, with one account tweeting: “The levels of irony here are astonishing.”
“I am truly sorry”: Ali Abbasi issues apology for inappropriate Golden Globes encounter
Abbasi later took to X (Twitter) on Saturday, February 22nd, to add some necessary content, writing: “I want to address the recent articles about me directly and openly. I fully understand that my action made someone uncomfortable, regardless of my intent, and for that, I am truly sorry.”
“I had spent time with the person concerned on multiple occasions and had reason to think we had a friendly relationship,” he continued. “When I saw him at the Golden Globes party, I was excited to reconnect. I made an over-familiar gesture – a slap on the rear – which I intended as playful and not in any sexual way whatsoever. I quickly realized I had misjudged the situation. I apologized to him on the spot, and the following day I made sure my apology was reiterated through my representatives.”
Abbasi then went on to clear up any confusion surrounding reports that he had been dropped by his representation, CAA and Management 360, insisting that it was actually the other way around. “The suggestion that I was dropped by my representation due to this interaction is false,” he said. “My decision to part ways was a long-term career decision that was not shaped by short motivations. I believe in taking accountability for my actions; I made a mistake, I apologized and have learned a valuable life lesson.”
As mentioned, the 2025 Oscars are shaping up to be one The Traitors-levels of dramatic, with the Emilia Pérez/Karla Sofía Gascón backlash, Fernanda Torres’ resurfaced history of blackface, and now this. The Apprentice was already contentious enough given its subject matter, but only time will tell if audiences will be able to separate the art from the artist moving forward—or if Abbasi wasn’t in any position to satirize someone like Trump from the get-go.
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