Renowned actor Michael Crawford has claimed that Donald Trump revealed his 'true colours' when out of the public eye. The US President recently bestowed upon the Hollywood veteran a medal in recognition of his contributions to American arts.
Originally from Wiltshire, Michael has been a fixture on both stage and screen for over six decades. He is best known for his role as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and was the inaugural star of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, gracing the stage in more than 1,300 performances from its debut in 1986 until his final bow in Los Angeles in 1991.
Just last week, the esteemed actor was presented with the Kennedy Centre medal at the Oval Office. His artistic contributions were celebrated alongside those of rock band Kiss, country music icon George Strait, disco queen Gloria Gaynor, and Rocky star Sylvester Stallone.
Trump lauded the actor as "the great star of Broadway", boasting that his chosen award recipients in 2025 are "perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class".
The billionaire tycoon professed to have been present for Michael's Broadway premiere in Black Comedy in 1967. A self-proclaimed fan of Phantom of the Opera, he hailed Michael as a "generational talent" and an "international sensation", reports the Express.
Michael, on the other hand, described Trump and his political entourage as "good company". He fondly recalled a jovial exchange between the US President and actor Sly Stallone.
Speaking to The Times, he said: "They were very lighthearted. The press come in and he turned harder, and then when the press leave the room again he was back to ... he was squirting cologne on Sly's [Stallone] face and Sly was going, 'I'm blind, I'm blind!'".
However, the star admits he's uncertain about Trump's assertion that they have Phantom of the Opera "on tape from every different angle". He explains that whilst footage of the production does exist, it was never recorded in its entirety.
"Maybe Trump's got an illegal tape. I think we should follow up on that, and good luck with the legal action," he quipped.
The 2025 Kennedy Centre medal recipients were personally selected by the US President after he replaced the board who had previously chosen the nominees. This forms part of a wider shake-up of the Kennedy Centre, which has reportedly become a personal priority for the president.
Trump's move to appoint himself as chairman of the centre has provoked fury amongst Washington's arts community. The Washington Post reports that ticket sales have dropped since the appointment.