How Once-exiled Filmmaker Brett Ratner Staged A Hollywood Comeback With ‘melania’

In precocious 2024, soon aft her husband, Donald Trump, was reelected arsenic nan 47th president of nan United States, Melania Trump saw an opportunity: a documentary centered connected her life.

The film, a follow-up to her eponymous memoir, would connection a model into nan first lady’s private, sphinx-like world, successful opposition to that of her bombastic, spotlight-seeking husband.

To nonstop nan film, a fly-on-the-wall chronicle of nan 20 days starring up to nan inauguration, Melania turned to an improbable choice: Brett Ratner, who only a fewer years earlier had been each but banished from Hollywood.

The arguable filmmaker had been recommended by her supplier and “senior advisor” Marc Beckman, who had a long-standing narration pinch Ratner.

“He’s 1 of nan astir talented board of our lifetime,” said Beckman, who negotiated nan unusually lucrative $40-million woody pinch Amazon MGM Studios to administer nan film.

“He really accounts for for illustration $2 cardinal successful box-office receipts,” Beckman told The Times. “He really understands not conscionable really to create thing that’s gorgeous, but besides really to scope nan passions and emotions of his audience.”

The timing was fortuitous. Ratner was looking for a comeback conveyance from his heady days arsenic 1 of nan industry’s astir successful filmmakers. And Beckman was among respective salient figures successful Trump’s orbit who could thief make that happen.

President-elect Donald Trump kisses his wife, Melania, earlier his inauguration connected Jan. 20, 2025.

(Saul Loeb / Associated Press)

Brash, rich | and successful, Ratner, 56, was nan head and shaper of a drawstring of blockbuster films, nan “Rush Hour” franchise and “X-Men: The Last Stand” among them. He was a consummate Hollywood dealmaker and habitué of reddish carpets who held tribunal astatine nan legendary basement disco wrong of his arsenic storied Beverly Hills estate.

Then, successful nan autumn of 2017, The Times reported connected sexual misconduct allegations against Ratner made by aggregate women. At nan time, Ratner strenuously denied nan claims.

It was nan tallness of nan #MeToo activity and a scope of intersexual misconduct allegations toppled nan careers of powerful men, from disgraced shaper Harvey Weinstein to “Today Show” big Matt Lauer and CBS Chairman Les Moonves. Weinstein was later convicted of rape successful Los Angeles and sentenced to 16 years successful prison.

Almost immediately, Ratner’s reign arsenic blockbuster king was over.

Beckman, however, viewed Ratner first and foremost arsenic a director. They had a narration that stretched backmost to 2007. Beckman’s agency hired Ratner to nonstop a sultry Jordache jeans campaign, inspired by nan iconic photographer Helmut Newton, whose activity was edgy, provocative and erotically charged. The campaign, changeable astatine nan Chateau Marmont, featured a mostly topless Heidi Klum — successful 1 advertisement she is brandishing a riding whip.

Beckman declined to opportunity whether he had talked to different imaginable directors, nor would he reside immoderate of nan claims made against Ratner. He stressed that it was Ratner’s “massive talent” that put him successful nan director’s chair. “We focused connected Ratner’s capabilities arsenic being a superior director,” he said.

The documentary, “Melania,” is group to premiere astatine nan Kennedy Center for nan Performing Arts successful Washington — which nan president is trying to rename nan Trump Kennedy Center — connected Thursday, followed nan adjacent time by a world theatrical release.

In summation to nan “Melania” documentary, a three-part docuseries besides filmed during nan inauguration run-up astir nan first woman that Ratner directed and is portion of nan aforesaid Amazon deal, is group to aerial connected nan streamer later this year, according to Beckman.

Brett Ratner, center, and nan stars of “Rush Hour 3,” Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, astatine nan film’s Los Angeles premiere statement successful 2007.

(Matt Sayles / Associated Press)

Then location is nan much-buzzed-about 4th installment of “Rush Hour.” It has been wide reported that Ratner will nonstop nan $100-million movie to beryllium distributed by Paramount.

The long-stalled task came astir aft President Trump was said to person urged his friend Larry Ellison, who bankrolled his boy David’s acquisition of Paramount, to revive nan franchise.

Not everyone is happy astir Ratner’s return.

“It speaks to nan larger rumor that these men who didn’t return work for their actions are coming backmost into nine arsenic if thing happened,” said Nancy Erika Smith, a partner astatine Smith Mullin successful Montclair, N.J., who has litigated galore harassment cases, including that of erstwhile Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson.

Reached by phone, Ratner declined to respond to questions, saying, “I don’t talk to aliases cooperate pinch nan Los Angeles Times.”

He referred questions to his London-based publicist, who did not respond to a elaborate database of questions.

An early emotion of movies

Growing up successful Miami, Ratner erstwhile said that “I eat, sleep, respire nan movies.” He was raised by a azygous mother, Marsha, who had him astatine 16, and his grandparents Mario and Fanita Presman, Jewish Cubans who immigrated to Florida during nan 1960s. (His paternal grandfather, Lee Ratner, founded d-Con, nan rat poison company.) At 12, he was an extra, appearing arsenic a boy connected a raft, during a excavation segment astatine nan Fontainebleau Hotel successful nan 1983 Brian De Palma movie “Scarface.”

Early on, Ratner garnered a estimation for his ambition, relentless thrust and a preternatural expertise to situation himself pinch celebrated friends and mentors.

While a student astatine New York University successful nan precocious 1980s, he befriended Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons, who made him his protégé, tapping Ratner to nonstop euphony videos.

At 28, he directed his first film, nan 1997 buddy drama “Money Talks,” starring Charlie Sheen and Chris Tucker. The movie grossed $48 cardinal connected a $25-million budget, cementing Ratner’s estimation arsenic a highly bankable director.

In 2012, Ratner and Australian billionaire investor James Packer co-founded RatPac Entertainment. A twelvemonth later, they merged pinch nan movie financing institution Dune Entertainment, founded by Steven Mnuchin (Trump’s early Treasury secretary), that had bankrolled monolithic hits for illustration “Avatar.”

The rebranded RatPac-Dune quickly entered into a $450-million slate financing woody pinch Warner Bros. to money up to 75 movies, including Oscar victor “Gravity” and box-office deed “Wonder Woman.”

Ratner himself served arsenic an executive shaper connected specified acclaimed films arsenic nan epic occidental play “The Revenant.”

“I was not nan champion student, but I was nan hardest-working kid that I know, and it paid off,” said Ratner erstwhile nan Friar’s Club honored him pinch a drama accomplishment grant successful 2011.

A self-styled jet-setting playboy, Ratner dated character Rebecca Gayheart and tennis prima Serena Williams. He cocooned himself wrong a circle of overmuch older, celebrated cinema legends that he considered his mentors specified arsenic Robert Evans, Roman Polanski and Robert Towne.

The precocious movie shaper Robert Evans was portion of a clutch of cinema legends that Ratner considered his mentors.

(Getty Images)

Ratner’s Beverly Hills mansion, Hilhaven Lodge, nan property erstwhile owned by “Casablanca” character Ingrid Bergman, was nan segment of galore raucous parties filled pinch celebrities and models.

After he made a bid of vulgar and inappropriate comments while promoting his movie “Tower Heist” successful 2011, including saying that “rehearsal is for f—,” utilizing an anti-gay slur, he dropped retired of producing nan Academy Awards broadcast.

Still, Ratner often groused that he was misunderstood.

“I don’t drink; I don’t do drugs. Do I for illustration to person fun? Yeah. Do I for illustration to bask myself, bask my life? Yeah. But I’m not a decadent person. ... I’m conscionable a bully Jewish kid from Miami Beach who loves movies and beautiful girls,” he said successful an question and reply pinch nan Jewish Journal.

Over nan years, Ratner sat connected nan boards of respective charities specified arsenic Chrysalis, a group that helps bum people; and nan Ghetto Film School. In 2013, he donated $1 cardinal to nan Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and he actively supported nan Simon Wiesenthal Center, wherever he was a trustee, and nan Museum of Tolerance.

When Patty Jenkins presented him pinch nan Tree of Life humanitarian grant astatine a Jewish National Fund meal successful 2017, nan head of “Wonder Woman” and “Monster” shared that he financed her thesis film.

In 2017, erstwhile Ratner received a prima connected nan Hollywood Walk of Fame, he was shouted connected by actors Edward Norton, Dwayne Johnson and Eddie Murphy, shaper Brian Grazer and Warner Bros. main Kevin Tsujihara.

(Chris Delmas / AFP via Getty Images)

That year, RatPac-Dune’s co-financing woody pinch Warner Bros. delivered a bid of hits, including “It,” “Wonder Woman” and “Dunkirk.” He received a prima connected nan Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Fallout complete allegations of misconduct

Then, successful November, The Times published elaborate allegations against Ratner made by six women who accused him of harassment, groping and forced oral sex. Actor Olivia Munn claimed that Ratner masturbated successful beforehand of her erstwhile she delivered a repast to his trailer connected nan group of nan 2004 movie “After nan Sunset.”

At nan time, Ratner’s lawyer Martin Singer rejected nan women’s claims, saying that his customer “vehemently denies nan outrageous derogatory allegations that person been reported astir him.”

The Times published different study weeks later that included additional intersexual misconduct allegations from respective different women. The study besides named Simmons, nan Def Jam co-founder, arsenic a witnesser and alleged perpetrator successful respective of nan episodes.

Both Ratner and Simmons disputed nan women’s accounts and denied their allegations. Simmons subsequently faced several rape accusations, which he has denied.

The master repercussions were swift. Ratner’s agents astatine WME dropped him, arsenic did his publicist, and projects were put connected hold. Ratner parted ways pinch Warner Bros.

“I don’t want to person immoderate imaginable antagonistic effect to nan workplace until these individual issues are resolved,” he said successful a statement.

In April 2018, Warner Bros. officially trim ties pinch Ratner, declining to renew its monolithic $450-million co-financing woody pinch RatPac-Dune.

Two years later, Ratner’s sanction surfaced amid nan tangled Hollywood activity scandals involving British character Charlotte Kirk, whose allegations brought down 2 workplace chiefs: Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara and NBCUniversal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer, pinch whom she claimed to person had intersexual affairs.

British character Charlotte Kirk accused respective Hollywood powerfulness players including Ratner of “victimizing her.”

(Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic)

In a sworn tribunal declaration, Kirk said she was victimized by Tsujihara, Ratner, Packer and Millennium Films CEO Avi Lerner, stating that nan men “coerced maine into engaging successful ‘commercial sex’ for them and their business associates.”

She further accused Packer, whom she had dated for a period, and Ratner of having “sexually exploited me,” pinch Ratner sending her “crude intersexual matter messages, and offering maine arsenic an inducement to his business partners,” according to her declaration.

Attorney Singer, who represented nan men, “categorically and vehemently” denied immoderate wrongdoing connected nan portion of his clients.

Cast retired of Hollywood, Ratner appeared to flight nan piercing scrutiny by surviving large. He was spotted variously astatine nan five-star Faena Hotel successful Miami and sunning connected a yacht disconnected Saint-Barthélemy successful nan Caribbean.

Ratner’s first attempts to get backmost down nan camera went nowhere. In 2021, he announced plans to nonstop a long-stalled Milli Vanilli biopic pinch Millennium Media, but soon after, Millennium Media stated that it was nary longer progressive pinch nan film.

In Trump’s orbit

Despite nan setbacks, nan seeds for Ratner’s eventual comeback had been sown. Known arsenic a world-class schmoozer, Ratner cultivated galore ties to group affiliated pinch Trump.

For respective years, he was partners pinch Mnuchin, who served arsenic Treasury caput during Trump’s first term, done their accumulation and financing institution RatPac-Dune.

Billionaire Len Blavatnik, proprietor of Warner Music Group, bought Packer’s liking successful RatPac-Dune done his Access Entertainment successful 2017, making him Ratner’s partner for a time. Blavatnik, done his company, contributed $1 million to Trump’s first inauguration.

Then there’s Arthur Sarkissian, nan shaper of nan original “Rush Hour” movie. He besides produced nan 2024 Trump-friendly documentary, “The Man You Don’t Know.”

Steven Mnuchin, who was Treasury caput during Trump’s first term, was a partner pinch Ratner done their institution RatPac-Dune Entertainment.

(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

Ratner besides developed a relationship pinch Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has a long-standing narration pinch Trump. Ratner was nan premier minister’s impermanent astatine nan United Nations General Assembly successful September 2023. He posted a image connected his Instagram standing down a seated Netanyahu and his wife, and adjacent to lawyer Alan Dershowitz, himself a longtime advisor and friend of Trump’s.

That year, respective Israeli media outlets reported that Ratner had obtained Israeli citizenship aft he posted nan passbook Israel issues to caller immigrants connected his Instagram communicative pinch his sanction “Brett Shai Ratner” captioned successful Hebrew.

“There’s a beardown organization successful southbound Florida that is adjacent to Trump,” said personification who worked pinch nan family but was not authorized to speak publicly. “Brett has relationships pinch a bunch of them; it was conscionable a matter of connecting nan dots.”

Ratner nary longer appears to unrecorded astatine his Hillhaven property (which is presently listed for lease astatine $82,500 a month), while location person been sightings of him astatine Mar-a-Lago.

Not agelong aft nan statesmanlike election, Ratner was fixed unprecedented entrée to Melania Trump and became a portion of her trusted soul circle.

Beckman said Ratner was fixed “remarkable” entree to her life. “There were behind-the-scenes meetings,” he said. “She’s a very backstage personification and for nan first clip she was allowing nan cameras to screen her, her family, her philanthropy and of people her business endeavors.”

Many of nan women who came guardant successful 2017 to level their accusations against Ratner declined to speak astir him now aliases to remark connected his return to directing.

In nan 2017 Times article, character Jaime Ray Newman alleged that during a formation Ratner made sexually inappropriate comments and showed her nude photos of his then-girlfriend.

“I said my portion a mates of years agone and person moved on,” Newman, who stars successful nan Netflix deed “The Hunting Wives,” told The Times. “I consciousness really bully and brave successful what I did.”

The “Melania” trailer is successful dense rotation online and was shown during nan NFL playoffs. Billboards loom complete cities and connected buses.

Talking to reporters connected Air Force One earlier this month, nan president praised nan upcoming film.

“I’ve seen pieces of it, it’s incredible,” Trump said. “Everybody wants tickets to nan premiere. I deliberation it’s going to beryllium great.”