Filmmaker Brett Ratner has been spotted in one of the thousands of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice on Friday.
In the image, Ratner can be seen clutching the waist of Jean-Luc Brunel, the late French model scout who was accused of supplying girls to Jeffrey Epstein and others.
The 56-year-old director of the Rush Hour franchise is just one of many celebrities, politicians, and public figures who have surfaced in the latest round of Epstein documents released by President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice.
Famous faces include former president Bill Clinton, “Prince” Andrew, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, and pop legend Michael Jackson.
Inclusion in the files does not suggest or prove that any crime has been committed, and many of the individuals identified have previously denied any wrongdoing regarding their relationship with the notorious sex trafficker.
Ratner himself has kept a low public profile since 2017, when six women, including actress Olivia Munn, accused him of several crimes, including sexual harassment, assault, and rape.
However, Ratner is set to return for his first directorial credit since 2014’s Hercules with Amazon’s $40 million documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, which is arriving in theaters in January 2026.
Ratner is reported to have shadowed Melania in early 2024, capturing footage of her return to the White House, which will form the basis of the Melania film.
The choice of director has prompted considerable controversy, something that The View host Alyssa Farah Griffin weighed in on following the release of the trailer.
“I wouldn’t, if I was a staffer, put the first lady in the position of working with somebody who had that history,” Griffin said. “I just think it’s a distraction from it. That, to me, makes me a little on the cusp of if I even want to watch the work.”
Co-host Joy Behar quipped that she thought Ratner was the perfect choice for such a film.
“If he had somebody direct it who didn’t have a record in some kind of sexual assault, I would be surprised,” she said. “I mean, this tracks.”
Ratner is making something of a comeback after being personally “un-cancelled” by Donald Trump himself.
Ratner, who immigrated to Israel in 2023 and enjoys a personal relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was hand-selected by the president to return for another installment of the Rush Hour series.
Rush Hour 4 is currently in development, with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker reprising their lead roles, following Trump’s request that his friend Larry Ellison revive the series. Ellison is a supporter of Trump and the father of Paramount chairman and CEO David Ellison.
Brunel was found hanged in his prison cell in 2022 during an investigation into his suspected rape of minors and trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation. He was 76 years old.
Brunel was a known associate of Epstein and founded MC2 Model Management with funding from the financier.
Melania is due for a limited theatrical release on Jan. 30 and will head to Amazon streaming soon afterwards.
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