Brett Ratner's Epstein-Era Photo Resurfaces, Reigniting Scrutiny for 'Melania' Director

• Filmmaker Brett Ratner faces renewed scrutiny after a photo with Jeffrey Epstein associate Jean-Luc Brunel resurfaced.
• Ratner is directing an upcoming documentary titled Melania, focusing on First Lady Melania Trump.
• His Hollywood career stalled after multiple #MeToo allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, which he denies.
• The resurfaced photo shows Ratner with Brunel, who faced serious criminal allegations and died in a French prison in 2022.
• While the image doesn't prove criminal conduct, critics question the optics of Ratner directing a high-profile political documentary given his contested past.

Why It Matters: Brett Ratner's past associations and #MeToo allegations create "ethically combustible optics" for his Melania documentary.