Brett Ratner Addresses Photos Involving Jeffrey Epstein

Hollywood director Brett Ratner has spoken about his inclusion in the recent photos released by the Justice Department concerning Jeffrey Epstein.

In a chat with FOX News Digital, Ratner clarified that the woman in the photograph is his former fiancée. He shared, “About 20 years ago, I was in love with my girlfriend. We were engaged and attending an event together. The picture was taken at that event.”

He elaborated, “I didn’t have any sort of personal relationship with Epstein and, honestly, I didn’t even recognize him in the photo.” He remarked that it was his fiancée who had invited him to the event, and that’s all there was to it. His expression reflected a mix of confusion and frustration, noting, “It’s crazy. It’s scary.”

Ratner reassured, “I had no personal dealings with him. I didn’t know him.” The photos, he pointed out, were merely a snapshot from an event and indicated no wrongdoing on his part.

These images were part of a larger initial document release related to Epstein, who passed away while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges in 2019. Among these was a thumbnail showing Ratner, Epstein, and the late Jean-Luc Brunel, all smiling alongside several unidentified women.

When asked about the circulating photos, Ratner stated he wasn’t worried, confidently asserting, “I knew the truth.” He mentioned that the woman beside him in the picture was his girlfriend of five years, making him feel there was nothing scandalous to address.

These photos showed Ratner in an embrace with a woman whose name was redacted, beside Epstein, with another individual’s identity also edited out. Interestingly, Ratner has never been married.

His recent film, “Melania,” represents his first major work since facing allegations of sexual misconduct in 2017 from six women, including notable figures like Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge. Ratner’s attorney at the time vehemently denied the claims.

The documentary about Melania Trump released on January 30th has surprisingly exceeded box office expectations. It followed events leading to Donald Trump’s re-inauguration and grossed about $8 million in its opening weekend, marking it the highest-grossing documentary debut in over a decade.

Amazon invested $75 million for its distribution rights, making it historically one of the most expensive documentaries ever produced, and it will soon be available in the U.S. and across 27 countries. It seems that audiences over the age of 55 made a significant impact, purchasing 78% of the tickets, with women in that age group contributing to 72% of the sales.

The local theaters were notably busy, recording an unusual 46% of the overall attendance for the weekend. States like Florida, Texas, and Arizona led in ticket sales.