Donald Trump has denied claims made by "Home Alone" director Chris Columbus that the former president "bullied his way into" making an appearance in the film's 1992 sequel, "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York."
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that the production team were "begging me to make a cameo appearance," according to The Guardian.
"They rented the Plaza hotel in New York, which I owned at the time. I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it. They were very nice, but above all, persistent," he said.
"I agreed, and the rest is history! That little cameo took off like a rocket and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired."
During a 2020 interview, Columbus mentioned that Trump's cameo was a prerequisite for filming inside the Plaza Hotel, alongside the regular fee requirement.
"He did bully his way into the movie," said Columbus. He reported Trump saying, "The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie," The Guardian noted.
However, in his Truth Social post this week, Trump said that "nothing could be further from the truth," adding that his appearance gave the film a considerable boost. "Home Alone 2" went on to make $359m and was the third-highest grossing film of 1992.
"That cameo helped make the movie a success, but if they felt bullied, or didn’t want me, why did they put me in, and keep me there, for over 30 years? Because I was, and still am, great for the movie, that’s why! Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!" he wrote.
Back in 2019, Trump supporters spoke out after his cameo was excluded from a TV version of the film shown in Canada. Trump suggested at the time that it might have been orchestrated by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a trade tariff disagreement between Canada and the United States.
A CBC network spokesperson denied Trump's claim, stating that the film was purchased for broadcast by the network in 2014 and edited accordingly, with Trump's scene, among others, excluded because they were "not integral to the plot."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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