Will Jackman’s ties to Ivanka Trump hurt his new film?
As Hugh Jackman promotes his new political drama, “The Front Runner,” he has found himself dealing with a real-life political debate centering on his friendship with controversial White House couple Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, whom he hosted at his 50th birthday party.
The Australian film star plays disgraced 1988 presidential hopeful Gary Hart in “The Front Runner,” which has Oscar aspirations, especially for Jackman’s performance. The film opens in the Bay Area Friday, but premiered in a few theaters in New York and Los Angeles on election night.
Sony hoped a Nov. 6 opening would allow the studio to use the politically charged midterm races to boost audiences’ interest in the story about how Hart’s campaign was derailed by a sex scandal in 1987, The Hollywood Reporter said. But people were evidently more focused on gathering around TV screens to watch election results on Nov. 6.
The film opened to tepid box office numbers, earning a six-day gross of $76,000, according to The Wrap. The film also may have been hampered by mixed-to-positive reviews, added The Wrap.
Jackman and his studio no doubt hope to reverse the film’s initial mediocre performance this weekend and beyond. But the popular A-lister, known for his amiable persona and his acclaimed performances as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, is having to deal with fans’ concerns that he keeps company with a couple who proudly work for President Donald Trump.
Then again, speaking of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s loyalty to the president, some fans took to Twitter to praise Jackman for not distancing himself from his longtime friends. They don’t think anyone should be judged for the politics of the people they socialize with.
It will be difficult to know whether Jackman’s Trump family associations could affect the fortunes of “The Front Runner,” either at the box office or when it comes to consideration for Oscars and other awards.