Mickey 17 director Bong June-Ho addressed the rumors whether Mark Raffalo’s character in the film was ‘inspired’ by US President Donald Trump. June-Ho assured that this is not the case and people are presenting their feelings only on the character.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, June-Ho said, “When we showed the film in Berlin and talked to people from many different countries, it seemed that people were presenting the most stressful political leaders on Marshall’s character. (Character) is a mixture of many different politicians and dictators that we have seen in the whole history.”

The filmmaker also talked about the character of Tony Cell in the film and said, “They move as a couple. For me, it was quite important. So Suscu couples from Romania and think of the Markos couple from the Philippines. Dictators go on as dictators. It makes them more fun and more terrible.

In an earlier interview, actor Raffalo opened his character about his character. Talking to late night host Jimmy Follen, Rafalo shared, “I play a petty dictator. At that time, we shot it three years ago, and I felt it is at the top. And now, I think it’s completely reduced. I mean, I made a documentary.”

Mickey was released in India on 17 March 7.