‘It was a no brainer’: American Beauty’s sleazy real estate king was based on Trump, reveals Peter Gallagher

Actor said it is ‘heartbreaking’ to see the US ‘bamboozled’ by Trump

Peter Gallagher and Annette Bening in 'American Beauty' (Dreamworks)

American Beauty star Peter Gallagher has revealed his sleazy character in the 1999 film was based on Donald Trump.

The cult classic starred Gallagher as real estate king Buddy Kane, alongside Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, a telesales worker who becomes infatuated with his daughter’s best friend.

In the film, Kane has an affair with Burnham’s wife Carolyn, played by Annette Bening.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Gallagher said it was a “no-brainer” to look to Trump for Buddy Kane.

“I thought, who has the hugest opinion of themselves in real estate?” he said.

Gallagher said it is “heartbreaking” to see America “bamboozled by this con man… It really feels like they left the back door of the Capitol open”.

Speaking about Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, he added: “It’s a little painful, having been raised by a bacteriologist mother, to hear someone blatantly disregarding science.”

Gallagher was last seen in the musical dramedy Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.