Anderson and Greenwood seek removal of music from Melania documentary

Filmmaker and Radiohead guitarist challenge the use of a Phantom Thread score track in an Amazon-produced film

Anderson and Greenwood seek removal of music from Melania documentary after discovering that one of their compositions was included in the film without what they describe as proper authorization.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead guitarist and film composer Jonny Greenwood issued a joint statement asking that their track “Barbara Rose” be withdrawn from the documentary Melania, produced by Amazon MGM Studios and focused on U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.

The composition is part of the score for Phantom Thread (2017), directed by Anderson and scored by Greenwood. According to the artists, the music was used in the documentary without the composer’s consent.

In their statement, the two said they had learned that one of their works had been used in the Melania documentary. They added that although Greenwood does not personally hold the copyright to the score, Universal allegedly did not consult him before allowing third-party use, which they say violates his contractual rights as composer. For this reason, they said, Anderson and Greenwood seek removal of music from Melania documentary and have formally asked for the track to be taken out of the film.

Greenwood’s work on Phantom Thread earned him an Academy Award nomination. The film, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, tells the story of a renowned fashion designer in 1950s London whose life is disrupted by a young woman who becomes both muse and partner.

Greenwood, a multi-instrumentalist with classical training from an early age, is again nominated for awards for the score of One Battle After Another, Anderson’s latest film.

The documentary Melania, directed by Brett Ratner, follows the First Lady in the days leading up to the second inauguration ceremony of U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025. In addition to Greenwood’s track, the film features music by artists including the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.

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