Is The Prince About Hunter Biden? Inside the Controversial Film Stirring Political Debate

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Jul 11

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

**Photos Courtesy of the Manor House Films**

David Mamet says he was asked to write a movie about Hunter Biden—but the filmmakers behind The Prince insist it’s a fictional, nonpartisan story about power and addiction.

In The Prince, a brooding political drama written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Mamet, a troubled man named Parker finds himself thrust into the spotlight following the death of his brother. As the son of a prominent presidential candidate, Parker's struggles with addiction, political corruption, and public scrutiny mirror the challenges of one of the most scrutinized figures in modern American politics: Hunter Biden. But is that comparison intentional?

According to the film's creators, the answer is more complicated than yes or no. Director Cameron Van Hoy and lead actor Scott Haze say their film is not a Hunter Biden exposé, despite the film's development being widely labeled as such. Mamet himself added fuel to the speculation when he told conservative outlet The Daily Wire that he was asked to write a movie about Hunter Biden—on the condition that he wouldn't explicitly name the character.

Yet, as the film takes shape, it aims to transcend its rumored origins. Van Hoy says the movie began as a meditation on American privilege, addiction, and institutional power. "There’s this lack of accountability for people in charge that doesn’t exist for regular people," he says. “If there can be no consequences, there can be no change."

Haze, who not only stars in the film but also produced it, agrees. While he acknowledges that early conversations may have referenced Hunter Biden, he insists the final product is not a political hit job. “It was very important for me not to make it political, not to make it about somebody specific,” he says.

The film's plot follows Parker, a man battling addiction who is forced to step into the spotlight after the death of his older brother. As his father’s campaign intensifies, Parker writes a redemptive memoir and becomes embroiled in political dealings that lead to accusations of criminal activity. The parallels to Biden’s own media-saturated scandals are undeniable, but Van Hoy emphasizes that Parker is a symbol, not a stand-in.

The controversy surrounding The Prince also stems from its connection to Sound of Freedom, a film that became a right-wing phenomenon and in which Haze appeared. The association has led some to preemptively judge The Prince as part of the same political messaging, a notion Haze rejects. "Sound of Freedom—it’s not political to me," he says. "Real bad things happen to people, and I want to shine light on things like that. But I don’t want to get involved in making this political thing."

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As the film seeks distribution and prepares for the festival circuit, its creators continue to walk a fine line—balancing an exploration of power and privilege with the risk of being pigeonholed by partisan assumptions. Mamet's script, according to Van Hoy, delves deeper into abstract questions of accountability, truth, and media manipulation.

Whether audiences will see The Prince as a bold commentary on American politics or simply as a veiled biopic remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the conversation around it has already begun.