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'Melania' director cuddles young woman in Epstein photo

Brett Ratner is seen on a sofa with Jeffrey Epstein and two women whose identities have been obscured.

By Nama WinstonPublished Feb 2, 2026
2 min read
Melania and JE

The director of the new documentary on US First Lady Melania Trump has been pictured embracing a young woman in images released by the US Department of Justice.

Brett Ratner, director of Melania, who also directed the Rush Hour films and X-Men: The Last Stand, is on a sofa with Jeffrey Epstein and two women whose identities have been obscured.

The photo's date is unknown, but it appears to have been taken at the same location as photos of Ratner and Epstein with French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, released in December 2025.

The BBC reports that there is no indication of wrongdoing in the files and that it has contacted Ratner's representative for comment.

Melania Trump speaks about her documentary. Image: X

New Epstein files photos of Brett Ratner

The new release of photos from the Epstein files shows Ratner, Epstein and Brunel smiling with unidentified women.

The files were dropped the same day as Melania: 20 Days to History, a behind-the-scenes look at the first lady's life in the days leading up to her husband's January 2025 inauguration.

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The documentary is Ratner's first project since he was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017. Ratner denied the allegations at the time.

Melania: 20 Days to History

Before its release, the film was widely criticised as Trump propaganda. Critics have since panned it after viewing, writing that it's "boring" and "pointless."

The film is screening in a limited number of Australian cinemas, with the ABC reporting, "At 12am AEDT on Friday, Hoyts appeared to have pre-sold fewer than 50 tickets to screenings around the country on the movie's opening day."

 

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