President Donald Trump 'bullied' his way into Home Alone 2 cameo
President Donald Trump "bullied" his way into 'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'.
The 74-year-old US leader wasn't supposed to be in the 1992 blockbuster sequel but director Chris Columbus was told the only way he would get permission to shoot a scene in the lobby of the Big Apple's iconic hotel The Plaza was to give its then-owner a cameo role in the film.
Speaking to Insider, the director recalled: "Trump said okay. We paid the fee, but he also said, 'The only way you can use the Plaza is if I'm in the movie.' "
And the filmmaker admitted he was unprepared for the audience reaction when test screenings took place.
He continued: "So we agreed to put him in the movie, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on screen. So I said to my editor, 'Leave him in the movie. It's a moment for the audience.'
"But he did bully his way into the movie."
The president has made cameos in several films, including 'Zoolander' and 'The Associate', but one of his scenes that didn't make the final cut was in 1992's 'Scent of a Woman', which was directed by Martin Brest.
Chris O'Donnell — who starred in the film alongside Al Pacino, Gabrielle Anwar and Philip Seymour Hoffman - previously recalled receiving a script that "said we're doing a scene with Donald Trump".
He added: "It explained to us in that in order for us to film at the Plaza, we had a little walk-on part for Trump and [ex-wife] Marla [Maples].
"I won’t shy away from this, he said, 'Yeah, they can shoot at the Plaza if they put me in the freakin’ movie.' "
But he confirmed the cameo ultimately "got cut out of the movie."
Matt Damon has previously slammed the "waste of time" for movie crews in shooting Trump's cameos.
He said: “The deal was that if you wanted to shoot in one of his buildings, you had to write him in a part. Martin Brest had to write something in 'Scent of a Woman' — and the whole crew was in on it.
“You have to waste an hour of your day with a bulls*** shot: Donald Trump walks in and Al Pacino’s like, ‘Hello, Mr. Trump!’ — you had to call him by name — and then he exits.
“You waste a little time so you can get the permit, and then you can cut the scene out. But I guess in 'Home Alone 2', they left it in.”