Elon Musk is warning of possible legal action against the director of a sharply critical new documentary about his life and business empire, arguing the film leans heavily on people with personal grievances against him — including conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair and his estranged father, Our News Outlet can reveal.
The Tesla and SpaceX chief has taken aim at Alex Gibney, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning filmmaker whose nearly four-hour documentary, Musk, debuted Tuesday night at the Venice Film Festival.
Before the premiere, Musk’s legal team sent a blistering letter accusing the production of pushing a one-sided narrative and claiming filmmakers repeatedly failed to respond to efforts to correct or clarify key claims.
“While we are ardent supporters of the First Amendment, and respect the reporting process, it has become abundantly clear that the motivations behind this piece are not the pursuit of truth, but something far different,” Musk’s high-profile attorney, Alex Spiro, wrote in the letter.
“This project did not begin as an inquiry. It began with a conclusion,” Spiro added.
In the letter, Spiro alleged the documentary relies on several “witnesses” who have well-known conflicts with Musk, describing them as “an estranged parent, a former friend who broke with him publicly, and a former partner whose allegations surfaced in the midst of a contested custody and support dispute with him.”
Musk’s fractured relationship with his father, Errol Musk, has long been public. He has also been involved in a very visible dispute with St. Clair, his former girlfriend and the mother of one of his children.
Spiro further claimed Musk’s representatives made “multiple” attempts to address what they believed would be an inaccurate portrayal in the film, but said the documentary team “refused to engage.”
Elon Musk hit out at Oscar and Emmy-winning director Alex Gibney after his nearly four-hour film – ‘Musk’ – premiered at The Venice Film Festival on Tuesday night
Musk argues the film relies solely on those who hold a grudge against him, including his baby mama Ashley St. Clair and estranged dad. Director Alex Gibney is pictured on the red carpet in Venice with St. Clair (at right) and journalist Zoe Schiffer
The enraged Tesla founder has lashed out at Oscar and Emmy-winning director Alex Gibney over the film
‘As you know, we have attempted to contact you multiple times and requested an opportunity to present the facts in the normal fact-checking process that is the hallmark of ethical journalism. You have refused to engage,’ the letter states.
‘As you also know, multiple individuals who have firsthand knowledge of the true state of affairs regarding Mr Musk have contacted you asking to be heard. You have refused to engage.’
In a scathing legal letter, Alex Spiro ripped the documentary as biased and accused those involved in its production of repeatedly ignoring attempts to clarify the truth
‘Because you have refused to screen the film, refused to fact-check it with us, and refused the witnesses who came to you, we have every reason to expect that it contains further statements about Mr Musk that you know to be false, or whose falsity you have deliberately chosen not to investigate,’ the letter continued.
‘We therefore have no choice but to put you on formal legal notice regarding your upcoming “piece” and to reserve all rights. Our door is open if you decide to check your facts with the people who know them. If not, we will proceed accordingly.’
Musk, for his part, took aim at Gibney in a slew of fiery posts on X after the documentary showcased, ripping the director for having ‘zero integrity’.
‘Dogs**t is worth more respect than Gibney,’ Musk raged in one post.
‘Gibney just assembled a hit list of people who either have an axe to grind or don’t even know me (but still have an axe to grind). He has ZERO integrity. Horrible human,’ he said in another.
‘It’s a hit piece that misses, and makes the fatal sin of being boring for 4 hours.’
Gibney’s film, which he began working on back in 2023, largely documents Musk’s rapid rise to becoming one of the world’s most influential figures.
Ashley St. Clair, 26, arrives at court in Manhattan last year for a paternity hearing regarding whether Musk is the father of her child
Musk and St. Clair were photographed together at Twitter’s headquarters in May 2023
His attorney claimed the documentary is based on several ‘witnesses’ with known grievances against Musk – including ‘an estranged parent.’ Musk’s estrangement from his father, Errol Musk, pictured above, is well documented
A large swathe questions how the tech titan came to wield such influence over public debate and politics.
As he unveiled the marathon documentary at the famed film festival, Gibney noted that many people were too frightened to speak publicly about the billionaire.
‘There was a tremendous sense of fear of talking, really almost existential fear, both among people who were his critics, people who were his business colleagues and people who are his friends,” Gibney told Reuters ahead of the first screening.
‘I talked to many, many, many, many people who, except for some of the brave people who are here, declined to speak.’
Our News Outlet reached out to Gibney and his production company, Jigsaw Productions, but didn’t hear back immediately.
