I’m a documentary filmmaker and have met Tony Blair, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky – this is what they all had in common

by

After spending over thirty years making documentaries, I’ve had the chance to interview many influential leaders, including President Zelensky, Donald Trump, and recently, Sir Tony Blair. As someone who doesn’t hold power myself, I’ve always been captivated by those who do. But what key lessons have I learned from speaking with these powerful individuals?

Interviewing Tony Blair for the Channel 4 series, The Tony Blair Story, was a challenging experience. He rarely shows any doubt, even when questioned about the controversial decision to invade Iraq. However, beneath his confident exterior, he revealed a surprising degree of emotion and self-reflection – something rarely captured on camera.

I also had the chance to talk with his wife, Cherie, and, remarkably, three of their adult children – Euan, Kathryn, and Leo. This provided a more personal look at a man who led Britain and influenced the world for ten years.

It’s clear that holding power can be a lonely job. He explained that, in the end, the responsibility for every decision rests with the person in charge. Alastair Campbell, who used to manage Blair’s public image, remembers finding him working late at Number 10 after the Iraq invasion. He described the scene as a stark illustration of the isolation that comes with being in power – a moment he wished he could have captured in a painting.

Interviewing President Zelensky, whom I spoke with in 2023 for the BBC Two series The Zelensky Story, was particularly difficult. As the leader of a country at war, securing an interview and getting him to discuss his personal experiences required significant effort.

It took two visits to Kyiv to finally arrange the meeting, and we often had to pause for air raid sirens, rushing to the shelter. Even under immense stress, Zelensky was captivating, insightful, genuinely moving, and surprisingly humorous.

Want to see this content?

Ugh, I’m trying to see this, but it looks like Google’s reCAPTCHA is blocking it for me. The site says I need to sign out of Contentpass first, so I’m going to try that and hopefully it’ll let me view everything then!

When I met Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2022, after he left office, the meeting began with a bit of distance. He was focused on paperwork, and simply indicated for my colleague and me to have a seat across his cluttered desk. We were there to explore the possibility of making a documentary, but it quickly became clear he wasn’t interested – and he still isn’t.

Our trip to Palm Beach ended up being surprisingly insightful. The conversation took a really unexpected turn, landing on Putin and Ukraine, Queen Elizabeth – apparently he thought I knew a lot about her! – and even Princes Charles and William. Believe it or not, we also talked about how lucky we both were to have full heads of hair! It really showed how powerful charisma and unwavering confidence can be. Even knowing his history of making wild claims, I could almost understand how he managed to win over so many people.

Queen Elizabeth never gave interviews, but when we made a documentary for ITV during her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, we were allowed to film the start of her meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at Balmoral Castle. We arrived at her cozy sitting room just as evening was falling, and it had comfortable touches like dog beds and cushions playfully embroidered with the phrase “It’s good to be Queen.”

Even though she was just a hobbyist photographer, she asked me if the lighting was good, worried about how fast the sun was setting. She even made a playful comment about Queen Victoria, and it felt incredibly special. She had a unique way of carrying herself, a calm power that was captivating.

I didn’t ask Tony Blair about his weekly conversations with Queen Elizabeth during his ten years as Prime Minister. However, I did ask him about nearly everything else.

Cherie Blair observed that holding power can be isolating. Reflecting on her husband Tony Blair’s departure from office in 2007, she noted that a politician’s strength lies in understanding and connecting with the public. However, after a decade under intense public scrutiny, it’s easy to lose touch with everyday life – a lesson, she suggested, that all those in positions of power should remember.

Authors

Michael Waldman

Read More

2026-02-09 20:46