Director Ali Abbasi accused of “aggressively groping” A-list Hollywood actor
Following accusations of sexual misconduct, director Ali Abbasi has parted ways with his US representation at CCA and Entertainment 360.
Abbasi, having come off the success of the Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice, is under scrutiny based on his behaviour at an afterparty following the 2025 Golden Globes, where he was accused of groping another actor under the same representation.
Deadline reported: “Events unfolded at CAA’s Golden Globes afterparty, where, sources said, an inebriated Abbasi aggressively groped an A-list, CAA-repped actor”.
Despite the director and the representation company parting ways, it is unclear if he left of his own accord or was dropped. As of this writing, Abbasi’s only representation is LARK, based in the UK.
While not addressing the accusations, Abbasi has since released a statement following the decision, telling Deadline, “I can confirm that I’ve made the decision to move in a new direction with my career. I’m grateful for the work CAA and Entertainment 360 have done, particularly their commitment to The Apprentice, which remains a project I’m incredibly proud of. I look forward to announcing my next steps at the appropriate time.”
The director will also no longer work with the PR firm The Lede Company. However, Abbasi did not make any motion to pursue a future with the PR firm, given that his contract expired shortly after his work on The Apprentice.
The film, based on the story of business mogul and current President Donald Trump, follows his story as well as the lawyer who helped mentor him throughout his earlier years in business, Roy Cohn. While Succession veteran Jeremy Strong played Cohn, Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Trump eventually earned him an Oscar nomination.
Upon release, Far Out stated that the film has various conflicting attitudes surrounding Trump, saying, “It’s not mocking enough to be satirical and not honest enough to be explosive. By not commenting on the wider impact of his actions, it makes an otherwise forceful and dynamic film feel slightly weak and cowardly, creating a docile commentary of America’s most dangerous lunatic.”
While Abbasi has stated his intentions to leave his representation behind, he has not made any statement regarding his behaviour.
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