10 Political Rivalries That Played Out Like Hollywood Dramas

The political arena has always shared the same stage as spectacle, with some leaning more towards entertainment than many may know. From televised debates that altered history to rivalries that gripped entire nations, some political classes have unfolded with all of the intensity and plot exposition of a Hollywood script. Here are 10 rivalries that didn’t just shape policy; they shaped the concept of political power itself.

Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton

The 2016 U.S. presidential race was less of an election and more of a political blockbuster movie. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s rivalry illustrated and emphasized all of America’s deepest divisions—class, gender, ideology, and more. Clinton’s experience as a former secretary of state clashed with Trump’s unconventional, media-heavy tactics. The debates they had were televised and subject to newer concepts of social virility, and thus became their own cultural events—complete with some of the most memorable and outlandish remarks from Trump that may have ever come from a presidential candidate.