WEBDESK - NAYADAUR - Imran Malik
Ashley St. Clair, the former partner of Elon Musk and mother of one of his children, said Tuesday that she turned down an alleged $40 million non-disclosure agreement, choosing instead to speak publicly in a new documentary examining the billionaire’s life and influence.
St. Clair discussed her decision at a press conference at the Venice Film Festival, where she appeared alongside Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney and technology journalist Zoë Schiffer.
St. Clair said participating in Musk was part of an effort to show her children that material comfort should not come at the expense of speaking the truth.
The documentary, directed by Gibney, explores Musk’s personal history, businesses and growing influence in politics and public life. Musk declined to be interviewed for the film and has previously dismissed the project as a “hit piece.”
St. Clair, 28, also addressed her earlier political views during the Venice appearance. She previously gained prominence as a right-wing commentator who advocated conservative and anti-trans positions. She said she now regrets promoting those views, attributing them in part to her age and the people around her at the time.
“I got involved with Republican politics when I was 18 after I met Charlie Kirk,” St. Clair said, acknowledging that her previous views did not excuse her role in promoting them. She said she hoped the personal risk involved in speaking out could help others.
Gibney said fear surrounding Musk was a recurring theme during the making of the documentary. The filmmaker said many people he approached — including critics, colleagues and friends of Musk — declined to speak.
The director began working on the project in 2023, initially envisioning a shorter film. He said the scope expanded as Musk became increasingly involved in the political and public affairs surrounding Donald Trump and the United States.
Musk runs for nearly four hours and is scheduled to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
According to its synopsis, the film seeks to challenge the public image of Musk as a visionary innovator and examines what Gibney characterizes as a gap between his public reputation and his actions.
Gibney described Musk in strongly critical terms, calling him a “very dangerous” man and arguing that he has difficulty demonstrating empathy. St. Clair similarly alleged that Musk deliberately rejects putting himself in other people’s positions.
Musk has built an unusually broad business empire spanning electric vehicles, space technology, artificial intelligence and social media. His companies include Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, while he also owns X, formerly known as Twitter.
St. Clair’s decision to participate in the documentary adds a personal dimension to a film already focused on Musk’s extraordinary business and political influence. Her comments in Venice are likely to draw further attention to the documentary as it begins its festival run.