The Regime Director Declares the Message of Kate Winslet’s HBO Show Is ‘Don’t Vote for Trump’

Dave Nemetz
·1 min read
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In HBO’s The Regime, Kate Winslet stars as a foreign dictator who rules with an iron fist and crushes any sign of dissent — and her governing style might seem familiar to American voters, director Stephen Frears says.

When asked by The Hollywood Reporter what one of the show’s messages might be, Frears was blunt: “Don’t vote for Trump.” The celebrated director, who helmed three of the season’s six episodes, sees parallels between Winslet’s grandstanding, narcissistic chancellor Elena and the current Republican frontrunner, noting that “the reality of Trump [returning to the presidency] has increased and grown stronger” since the show began development.

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Jessica Hobbs, who directed The Regime’s other three episodes, didn’t cite Trump by name, but she agrees that the HBO political dramedy aims to get viewers to consider the real-world implications of Elena’s outrageous antics: “If you can make something dangerously funny that makes people uncomfortable to laugh at it, maybe they’ll think about the ridiculousness of some of the real-world situations, and maybe that will make them think a little about what they could do.”

The Regime debuted on HBO in March, with Winslet leading a cast that includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Andrea Riseborough and Guillaume Gallienne, with guest appearances by Martha Plimpton and Hugh Grant. It currently airs Sundays at 9/8c, with the season finale set for April 7.

The Regime viewers: Are you seeing the Trump parallels, too? Hit the comments to share your thoughts.

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