The new Melania documentary has sunk to the level of unauthorized soundtrack swiping, and two of Hollywood’s most respected creatives aren’t having it. Director Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead guitarist-composer Jonny Greenwood are publicly calling for a piece of their music from ‘Phantom Thread’ to be removed rom Brett Ratner’s Melania film — charging that its use was licensed without Greenwood’s consultation, breaching his composer agreement.
Anderson and Greenwood didn’t mince words in their statement: “It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary,” they said, adding that “Universal failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use which is a breach of his composer agreement. As a result Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary.”
That track in question, “Barbara Rose,” was originally composed for the 2017 drama Phantom Thread, which earned six Oscar nominations and established Greenwood as one of the most acclaimed film composers working today, Variety reports. Now, instead of being celebrated for original artistry, his work is at the center of a controversy over what critics are calling sloppy licensing and creative theft.
It’s a stunning public rebuke of Melania, which has already been under fire for its high-budget production and perceived propagandistic sheen. The film, directed by Brett Ratner — a filmmaker whose reputation was already tainted by past sexual misconduct allegations — follows former First Lady Melania Trump during the 20 days leading up to her husband Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
Despite costing Amazon MGM Studios at least $75 million for rights and marketing, the documentary has drawn overwhelmingly negative reviews from professional critics. One TheWrap reviewer called it a “tasteless, tedious, criminally shallow propaganda puff piece,” underscoring how poorly it’s landed with industry observers.
The music dispute now adds another layer of embarrassment. Greenwood and Anderson aren’t claiming Universal doesn’t have the copyright — they’re arguing the licensing process violated the terms of Greenwood’s composer agreement, which required his input on third-party use.
Universal hasn’t publicly responded to the demand for removal. But the optics are already bad: a Trump-adjacent documentary accused of not just propaganda fluff but also taking someone else’s musical art without proper consultation.
Whether Melania. will actually yank the track remains to be seen — but Anderson and Greenwood’s loud rejection of its use has shifted the narrative from Trump family biography to music politics and contractual integrity.
