The Apprentice Director Breaks Silence on Allegedly Groping A-lister at Golden Globes Party: ‘I Made an Over-Familiar Gesture’

The Apprentice director, Ali Abbasi, spilled the beans over allegedly groping an A-lister at the Golden Globes party. The director claimed to have immediately regretted his actions.

Written by Rashi Desai , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 23, 2025 | 08:09 PM IST | 7.6K

Ali Abbasi via IMDB

The Apprentice director, Ali Abbasi, spilled the beans over the reports of allegedly groping an A-lister at the Golden Globes party. In a statement released by the filmmaker, he revealed he immediately regretted the action and apologized to the celebrity right at the moment.

According to People Magazine, the director carried out an over-familiar gesture at the event, but he apologized to the concerned person.

In the statement obtained by the media portal, Abbasi mentioned, “I fully understand that my action made someone uncomfortable, regardless of my intent, and for that, I am truly sorry.” He stated, “I had spent time with the person concerned on multiple occasions and had reason to think we had a friendly relationship.”

The statement continued, “When I saw him at the Golden Globes party, I was excited to reconnect. I made an over-familiar gesture—a slap on the rear—which I intended as playful and not in any sexual way whatsoever. I quickly realized I had misjudged the situation.”

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“I apologized to him on the spot, and the following day, I made sure my apology was reiterated through my representatives,” the filmmaker concluded.

According to the reports of Deadline, it was previously stated that Abbasi was no longer a member of the Creative Artist Agency and Management 360 following the Golden Globes incident.

However, denying the reports, the director revealed in his statement that the rumors about being dropped by the representative agency were completely false, and he only believes in taking accountability for his actions.

“I made a mistake, I apologized, and I have learned a valuable life lesson. I remain grateful for the incredible work of our cast, crew, and supporters on The Apprentice, and I hope the focus stays on their achievements,” said Abbasi.

Meanwhile, The Apprentice has received praise from critics and audiences for showcasing the story of Donald Trump in his early days in politics. The movie has also received an Oscar nomination this year.