I think I could do wonders with him as president
Allen worked with Trump on 'Celebrity' in 1998 and described him as a very good, convincing, and charismatic actor who was professional and easy to direct. Despite disagreeing with Trump on 99% of political issues and voting for Kamala Harris, Allen acknowledged Trump's entertainment value and expressed surprise at his political ambitions.
- Allen directed Trump in 'Celebrity' in 1998
- Allen and Maher both voted for Kamala Harris in 2024
- Allen said he disagrees with Trump on 99% of political issues
- Allen described Trump as 'very good,' 'convincing,' and 'charismatic' as an actor
- Trump shared Allen's comments on Truth Social
Director Woody Allen praised Donald Trump's acting abilities from their 1998 film 'Celebrity' and expressed interest in directing him again now that he is president, calling him a talented and easy-to-work-with performer.
Woody Allen sat down with Bill Maher on the comedian's podcast Club Random recently and found himself reflecting on a collaboration that happened nearly three decades ago. Back in 1998, when Allen was directing his film Celebrity, Trump appeared in the picture—a small chapter in the real estate mogul's life before he became president. Allen remembered the experience fondly. He called Trump a very good actor, someone who was convincing and charismatic on set. The work was easy, Allen said. Trump showed up, knew his lines, executed them correctly, and brought a natural flair for entertainment to the role.
What struck Allen most was how effortlessly Trump moved through the production. He was polite, professional, and seemed to understand instinctively how to work within the frame of a camera. Allen, now 89, described it as a pleasure. He even noted that he was among the rare few who could claim to have directed Trump in a film. But then Allen went further. He said he would like to direct Trump again—this time as president. "If he let me direct him, now that he's president, I think I could do wonders with him," Allen told Maher.
The remark carried a particular weight given Allen's political leanings. He and Maher both acknowledged they are Democrats. They both voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Allen was explicit about his disagreement with Trump: on roughly 99 percent of the issues that matter politically, they stand on opposite ground. Yet even with that gulf between them, Allen could not help but admire Trump's presence as a performer. He found Trump convincing, charismatic, talented in ways that transcended ideology.
Allen expressed genuine bewilderment at Trump's decision to enter politics at all. The director had known Trump as a figure at New York Knicks games, a man who enjoyed golf, who judged beauty pageants, who pursued relaxing and entertaining diversions. Politics, by contrast, meant headaches, critical decisions, and anguish. Why would someone voluntarily trade that life for this one? Allen could not quite fathom it. The man he remembered seemed built for spectacle and leisure, not the grinding machinery of governance.
Yet Allen persisted in his thought experiment. He would like to direct Trump now, he said, to make the creative decisions himself. The implication hung in the air: what might a president look like if shaped by Allen's artistic vision? Maher, playing along, offered to make the call. Allen laughed and closed the loop. "But that's not going to happen," he said. Trump, for his part, saw fit to share the story. He posted a link to Variety's coverage of Allen's remarks on his Truth Social platform, amplifying the compliment across his own network. Two men from different worlds, separated by politics and temperament, had found a moment of mutual regard in the memory of a film made when the world looked very different.
Notable Quotes
If he let me direct him, now that he's president, I think I could do wonders with him.— Woody Allen, on the Club Random podcast
He was a very good actor—very convincing and charismatic, and easy to work with.— Woody Allen, describing Trump's performance on set
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why did Allen bother to praise Trump's acting at all, given how far apart they are politically?
Because Allen separates the performer from the politician. He saw Trump do a job well on set in 1998—be present, hit his marks, understand the camera. That's a craft thing, not a political thing. Allen respects craft.
But doesn't praising Trump's charisma feel like it plays into something larger?
Maybe. But Allen was also honest about the contradiction. He said they disagree on 99 percent of everything that matters. He's not endorsing Trump. He's saying: this man can act. Those are two different statements.
The joke about directing him as president—was that sincere or just riffing?
Probably both. Allen genuinely seemed to think Trump would be more interesting if someone else made the creative choices. But he also knew it would never happen. The humor was in the impossibility of it.
Why would Trump share this on Truth Social?
Because it's a compliment from a famous director, and it doesn't require him to agree with Allen politically. It's a clean win—proof that even people who oppose him can acknowledge something he does well.
Does this moment tell us anything about how people actually relate across political divides?
It suggests that admiration for specific skills can coexist with fundamental disagreement. Allen didn't become a Trump supporter. He just said: you were good at this one thing, in this one moment, a long time ago. That's rarer than it should be.