'Melania' Director Brett Ratner Calls Crew 'Liberals' as Most Dump Credits, Saying 'He Was the Worst'

What was meant to be a documentary chronicling Melania Trump's return to the White House has instead become a case study in how a production can unravel behind the scenes and how quickly the spotlight can shift from subject to director.

Melania, a $40-million Amazon MGM Studios documentary directed by Brett Ratner, premiered this week at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, before landing on Prime Video.

But days before its debut, a Rolling Stone investigation revealed that roughly two-thirds of the New York–based crew asked to have their names removed from the film's credits.

The reasons, crew members say, had less to do with politics than with Ratner himself.

A Production Defined by Chaos

According to multiple crew members interviewed by Rolling Stone, the production was marked by long hours, disorganisation, and a lack of basic workplace standards. Several described days that stretched late into the night with no formal meal breaks, an especially sore point given the documentary's budget and high-profile backing.

While some crew members admitted discomfort with what they saw as a 'propaganda element' to the film, most were clear that the political framing wasn't what pushed them to distance themselves publicly.

'The worst part of working on this project was Brett Ratner,' one crew member said bluntly.

Another added that there was 'more talk about Brett being slimy than there was about Melania,' a striking assessment given the polarising nature of the film's subject.

Behaviour That Left a Mark

The complaints about Ratner went beyond creative disagreements or tense scheduling. Crew members recounted specific incidents that, taken together, painted a picture of a director disengaged from — and dismissive of — the people around him.

Several described Ratner leaving behind discarded orange peels, gum wrappers, and trash throughout the set. One crew member alleged that Ratner chewed gum and tossed it into their coffee cup without acknowledgement.

Others recalled him eating freely in restricted areas while the crew was not permitted breaks, describing the behaviour as 'grubby' and demoralising.

'It felt like either complete lack of awareness or complete lack of respect,' one source said.

In contrast, multiple crew members described Melania Trump herself as professional, polite, and engaged, a point that comes up repeatedly in accounts of the shoot.

Ratner's Response: 'Liberals Feeding Their Family'

The controversy escalated further at the film's 29 January premiere, when Ratner was confronted by reporters about the uncredited crew and the Rolling Stone report.

'I understand if a liberal is working on the movie and they don't want to be credited, but they want to feed their family,' Ratner said. 'I don't blame anybody for that.'

The remark landed poorly, reframing labor complaints as political discomfort and drawing immediate backlash online. Ratner went on to claim that many of the uncredited workers were day players rather than core crew, and said he only learned of the requests after reading the article.

The response did little to cool criticism.

A Complicated Comeback

Melania also marks Ratner's most prominent directorial project since he stepped away from Hollywood in 2017 following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied and for which no criminal charges were filed.

His return via a politically charged, high-budget documentary has already raised eyebrows and the crew backlash has only intensified scrutiny.

Adding to the irony, several crew members emphasized that their strongest objections weren't ideological. In their telling, the problem wasn't Melania Trump, or even the film's framing, but the conditions under which they were asked to work and the behavior of the man in charge.

Furthermore, Amazon MGM Studios has not issued a statement disputing the Rolling Stone reporting. Neither Melania Trump nor her representatives have publicly addressed the crew complaints. Ratner has not elaborated beyond his premiere remarks.