Doug Ford said he won't watch Netflix documentary on his brother Rob Ford
As Netflix's new documentary on Rob Ford hit airwaves Tuesday morning, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he won't be one of the people tuning in.
'I'm not going to watch it. They're disgusting people,' he said of Netflix at a Tuesday news conference. 'Poor Rob has been dead for nine years and they just want to keep going after him.'
The Netflix documentary, 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem,' chronicles Rob Ford's rise to becoming Toronto's 64th mayor and the scandals that surfaced during his time in office, notably one where he was caught smoking crack cocaine on camera. It's the second of an anthology series exploring events that dominated headlines worldwide, following 'Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy,' which premiered on June 10.
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford says a new Netflix documentary about his late brother Rob Ford is "disgusting." The doc titled 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem" chronicles Rob Ford's rise to power as Toronto mayor in 2010 and his chaotic time in office. Speaking at a news conference in Toronto, Doug Ford said he wasn't going to watch the film, and he doesn't see eye-to-eye with the creators. (June 17, 2025 / The Canadian Press)
Rob Ford died of cancer in 2016. He was 46.
Shianne Brown, the film's director, said that the filmmakers contacted Doug Ford for the film, but he didn't want to take part.
Still, the documentary offers an inside look at Rob Ford's rise and fall through voices from many other corners of his life — from former chief of staff Mark Towhey, executive assistant Tom Beyer and special assistant Jerry Agyemang, to journalists like former Star reporter Robyn Doolittle and Star city hall reporter David Rider.
Inside Netflix's new documentary about Rob Ford, Toronto's 'Mayor of Mayhem'
Speaking at Tuesday's news conference, a frustrated Doug Ford pleaded to let his brother's legacy rest.
'I talked to one person who saw it and it's just disgusting. Leave the guy alone. Let him rest in peace. Let his family rest in peace,' he said.
+3 Rob Ford documentary: 'Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem' rehashes Ford's turbulent years in office but also makes you wonder 'What if?'
'They're just disgusting people. It absolutely infuriates me, to be honest with you. They want the truth? Talk to the real people. I absolutely love him, so I'll leave it at that.'
Netflix said it has no comment when asked about Doug Ford's remarks. The Star also reached out to the filmmakers regarding the premier's comments, but haven't received a response.
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Wrapped in controversy during his time as mayor, Rob Ford earned international notoriety when two Star reporters viewed a video — three times — of him smoking crack in 2013 and reports quickly spread. Following months of denying using the substance, he ultimately admitted to using crack in November 2013.
Contributors
Opinion
Edward Keenan: Toronto still lives in the shadow of Rob Ford
At once beloved and condemned, the contentious mayor is still very much with us today.
Contributors
Opinion
Edward Keenan: Toronto still lives in the shadow of Rob Ford
At once beloved and condemned, the contentious mayor is still very much with us today.
However, through making the documentary, Brown said she learned Ford was a 'complex character' who resonated with people by taking a grassroots approach.
In one scene, Rob Ford strolls through an apartment, asking if anyone is having trouble with their unit. In another, at his funeral, Doug Ford recalls the time his brother — while mayor — delivered a sandwich to a Mr. Sub customer after a worker didn't have an available driver. Moments like these, Brown said, show how he connected with voters.
'I feel that we all love the underdog. He was an underdog,' she said. 'He wasn't a part of that David Miller establishment. He was kind of like an outsider to it all.'
She said she hopes the audience comes away from the film with a deeper understanding of who Rob Ford was — with and without the scandals.
'I think Rob represents something in all humans … and (how) nobody's perfect,' she said. 'But the scandals speak for themselves — and it makes things a bit interesting.'
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Toronto Star
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