'Melania' Producer on Jonny Greenwood Beef, Melania Trump's Docuseries

Variety

by Chris Willman

February 23, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

The producer of *Melania*, Marc Beckman, has addressed the controversy surrounding the use of orchestral music from *Phantom Thread* in Melania Trump’s docuseries, calling claims of unlicensed use “ridiculous” and “a blatant lie.” The dispute involves Jonny Greenwood, a member of Radiohead and composer for *Phantom Thread*, who reportedly took issue with how his music was reused. While Beckman insists the film properly licensed the music through Focus Gramercy Film Music, which is owned by Universal, Greenwood claims he wasn’t contacted as per his contract’s terms. This situation highlights the complexities of music licensing in films, where even when legal processes are followed, artists may still feel their rights have been overlooked. Beckman revealed that procuring music for *Melania* was a mix of successes and challenges. While he managed to secure iconic tracks from Michael Jackson, Tears for Fears, Aretha Franklin, and the Rolling Stones, he missed out on using Prince and Guns N’ Roses. He expressed pride in the use of *Phantom Thread* music, particularly since it aligns with his love for Radiohead. However, Beckman emphasized that Melania Trump herself approved all the music choices, adding a personal touch to the film. The docuseries, produced by Muse Films and set to stream on Amazon Prime Video, aims to present a non-political narrative of Melania Trump’s life. Beckman described it as a “unique” project designed to offer a visually and sonically rich experience, distinguishing it from typical documentaries. Despite the media and political noise surrounding the film, its focus remains on telling a personal story with artistic depth. The *Melania* docuseries is part of

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Originally published on Variety on 2/23/2026