Filmmaker Woody Allen surprised audiences on September 1 when he praised President Donald Trump’s acting abilities during an appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, describing the president as a skilled performer from their collaboration on a 1998 film.
The 89-year-old director recalled working with Trump on his film “Celebrity,” where the then-real estate developer made a brief cameo appearance. Allen described Trump as professional and talented, noting he hit his marks correctly and demonstrated a natural flair for show business. The filmmaker emphasized that Trump was polite to everyone on set and easy to work with during the production.
Despite his praise for Trump’s acting abilities, Allen clarified his political stance during the podcast interview. He indicated he voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and disagrees with Trump on approximately 95 to 99 percent of political issues. Allen stressed he is not a Trump supporter but could only judge based on his direct experience directing the president in the film.
In “Celebrity,” Trump played himself in a scene lasting approximately 11 seconds, where he discussed purchasing Manhattan’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral and replacing it with a tall, beautiful building. Allen noted that Trump was convincing in the role and possessed a charismatic quality as an actor. The director expressed surprise that Trump chose to enter politics, describing the field as consisting of nothing but headaches, critical decisions, and agony.
Allen recalled seeing Trump at New York Knicks games and noted the president previously enjoyed activities like playing golf and judging beauty contests. The filmmaker questioned why anyone would give up such enjoyable and relaxing pursuits for the demanding responsibilities of political office.
During the podcast, Allen made a playful suggestion about working with Trump again, stating “I think I could do wonders” if given the opportunity to direct the president in his current role. Maher responded to this comment by jokingly offering to make a phone call to arrange such a collaboration.
Maher, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, acknowledged that the president appears different in private settings compared to his public persona. The comedian had previously dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier in 2025 and described similar positive impressions of the president’s personal demeanor. Maher suggested that politics represents the ultimate acting job, with all politicians maintaining different public and private personalities.
The conversation touched on Allen’s controversial status in Hollywood, with Maher referencing the sexual abuse allegations that have followed the director for decades. Allen has repeatedly denied these allegations, which were made by his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow. The filmmaker indicated he was fortunate that his career troubles came after his most productive years, suggesting the impact would have been more significant if he were younger.
Allen mentioned that two separate investigations into the allegations found no evidence of wrongdoing. He expressed that he did not suffer as much from the scrutiny as others might expect, partly due to the timing of when the allegations resurfaced during the #MeToo movement. The director acknowledged that his ability to secure film projects has become more difficult in recent years.
Trump responded positively to Allen’s comments by sharing an article about the praise on his Truth Social account. The president’s decision to amplify the filmmaker’s positive remarks highlighted the rarity of complimentary comments from Hollywood figures toward his administration.
The podcast episode generated significant media attention, with various outlets noting the unusual nature of a prominent Hollywood director praising Trump’s abilities. Allen’s comments stood out particularly because they came from someone who openly stated his opposition to Trump’s political positions and policies.
