A documentary released Monday traces the fallout of a brief 2006 tryst that Stormy Daniels allegedly had with Donald Trump, from the perspective of one of the world’s most famous adult film stars.
The movie hits US streamer Peacock just weeks before the former president goes on trial for allegedly covering up hush-money payments to her, one of a number of criminal cases the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee faces.
The documentary uses interviews and contemporary footage to tell the story of what happened when Trump’s team tried to keep news of their alleged entanglement quiet as he ran for the White House, paying the porn performer $130,000.
It details the fame that ensued for Daniels, including how she attracted large crowds on a strip tour, and how the pressure of that fame and media attention affected her family life.
The film also traces the story of how lawyer Michael Avenatti initially came to her aid as her biggest public supporter, but was in fact stealing from her.
Daniels, who in the documentary tells viewers she is a registered Republican, became for a while a liberal hero for the way she took on the former president in public.
“He has never thought that women like me matter,” she says in one news conference included in the film. “That ends now.”
Trump is due to go on trial in the coming weeks for allegedly covering up the payment to Daniels.
Prosecutors say the property magnate illegally covered up remittances to his longtime aide Michael Cohen to reimburse him for payments made to bury stories revealing the alleged dalliance with Daniels.
A New York court hearing on March 25 will determine the date of the trial.
Trump, who denies the charges, faces four criminal cases as he campaigns to retake the White House, with his legal teams working to delay any trials until after the November 5 vote.
