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[[File:Borat.portrait.png|thumb|right|upright|Baron Cohen as Borat, 2006]]
[[File:Borat.portrait.png|thumb|right|upright|Baron Cohen as Borat, 2006]]


''[[Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan]]'', a feature film with [[Borat Sagdiyev|Borat]] at the centre, was screened at the [[2006 Toronto International Film Festival]] and released in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2006, in the United States on 3 November 2006 and Australia 23 November 2006. The film is about a journey across the United States in an ice cream truck, in which the main character is obsessed with the idea of marrying [[Pamela Anderson]]. The film is a [[mockumentary]] which includes interviews with various American citizens that poke fun at [[American culture]], as well as [[sexism]], [[racism in the United States|racism]], [[homophobia]], [[Antisemitism|anti-Semitism]], [[jingoism]] and ''[[Baywatch]]''.
''[[Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan]]'', a feature film with [[Borat Sagdiyev|Borat]] at the centre, was screened at the [[2006 Toronto International Film Festival]] and released in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2006, in the United States on 3 November 2006 and Australia 23 November 2006. The film is about a journey across the United States in an ice cream truck, in which the main character is obsessed with the idea of marrying [[Pamela Anderson]]. The film is a [[mockumentary]] which includes interviews with various American citizens that poke fun at [[American culture]], as well as [[sexism]], [[racism in the United States|racism]], [[homophobia]], [[Antisemitism|anti-Semitism]], [[jingoism]].


It debuted at the #1 spot in the US, taking in an estimated $26.4 million in just 837 theatres averaging $31,600 per theatre, the fourth highest per-theatre average of all time for movies opening wide (500 screens or more), behind ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'' and ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]]''.
It debuted at the #1 spot in the US, taking in an estimated $26.4 million in just 837 theatres averaging $31,600 per theatre, the fourth highest per-theatre average of all time for movies opening wide (500 screens or more), behind ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'' and ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]]''.

Revision as of 14:13, 14 August 2012

For the figure skater of a similar name, see Sasha Cohen.

Template:Multi-word family name

Sacha Baron Cohen
Baron Cohen at the New York City premiere of Hugo on 21 November 2011
Born
Sacha Noam Baron Cohen

(1971-10-13) 13 October 1971 (age 52)
Hammersmith, London, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materCambridge University
Occupation(s)Stand-up comedian, writer, actor, voice actor
Years active1995–present
Notable workAli G
Borat
Brüno
Admiral General Aladeen
Spouse
​
(m. 2010)​
[1]
Children2 daughters

Sacha Noam Baron Cohen[2] (born 13 October 1971) is a British stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and voice actor. A graduate of Cambridge University,[3] Baron Cohen is most widely known for writing and playing four unorthodox fictional characters: Ali G, Borat, Brüno, and Admiral General Aladeen. In his routines, Baron Cohen's characters interact with unsuspecting people who do not realise they are being set up for comic situations and self-revealing ridicule.

Baron Cohen was named Best Newcomer at the 1999 British Comedy Awards for The 11 O'Clock Show, and since then, his work has been further recognised with two BAFTA Awards for Da Ali G Show, several Emmy nominations, a nomination for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay, and a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his work in the feature film Borat. After the release of Borat, Baron Cohen stated that because the public had become too familiar with the characters, he would retire Borat and Ali G.[4] Similarly, after the release of Brüno, Baron Cohen stated he would also retire the title character.[5]

Early life

Baron Cohen, the middle of three brothers, was born in Hammersmith, West London. His mother, Daniella Naomi (née Weiser), was born in Israel and his father, Gerald Baron Cohen, an accountant, is a native of London.[6][7] Baron Cohen has two brothers: Erran and Amnon.[8] Baron Cohen's family is Jewish.[9] His paternal grandfather, Morris Cohen, who was from Pontypridd, Wales, had added "Baron" to his surname.[7][10] His maternal grandmother, who lives in Haifa, Israel, trained as a ballet dancer in Germany.[6][11][12][13] Erran is a composer and has worked on several of Sacha's films. Internationally renowned autism researcher Simon Baron-Cohen is his cousin.[14] Baron Cohen attended Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, a private school in Elstree, Hertfordshire, north of London.[15] He went on to the University of Cambridge, entering Christ's College, Cambridge, where he read history.[16] While attending the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club, Baron Cohen acted in the plays Fiddler on the Roof and Cyrano de Bergerac, and performed in Habonim Dror Jewish theatre performances.[17]

Early roles

After leaving university, Baron Cohen worked for a time as a fashion model, appearing in many fashion magazines.[17] By the early 1990s, he was hosting a weekly programme on Windsor cable television's local broadcasts with Carol Kirkwood, who later became a BBC weather forecaster. In 1995, Channel 4 was planning a replacement for its series The Word, and disseminated an open call for new television presenters. Baron Cohen sent in a tape of himself in the character of Kristo, a fictional television reporter (who developed into the Kazakh Borat Sagdiyev), which caught the attention of a producer. Baron Cohen hosted Pump TV from 1995–1996. In 1996, he began presenting the youth chat programme F2F for Granada Talk TV. He took clown training in Paris, at the Ecole Philippe Gaulier, studying under master-clown Philippe Gaulier. Of his former pupil, Gaulier says: "He was a good clown, full of spirit".[18] In the late 1990s, Baron Cohen made his first feature film appearance in the British comedy The Jolly Boys' Last Stand. In 2000, Baron Cohen played the part of Super Greg for a series of TV advertisements for Lee Jeans; the advertisements never aired but the website for Super Greg created an internet sensation.[19]

Characters

Ali G

Baron Cohen as Ali G, offering a speech at Harvard University's Class Day during Commencement ceremonies
Main article: Ali G

Baron Cohen appeared during two-minute sketches as his fashion reporter Brüno on the Paramount Comedy Channel during 1998. He shot to fame when his comic character Ali G, an uneducated, boorish junglist, hailing from Staines (a suburban town in Middlesex, to the west of London), started appearing on the British television show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4, which first went to air 8 September 1998. A year after the premiere of the show, GQ named him comedian of the year.[20] He won Best Newcomer at the 1999 British Comedy Awards, and was nominated for Best British Entertainment Performance at the British Academy Television Awards.[20]

Da Ali G Show began in 2000, and won the BAFTA for Best Comedy in the following year.[21] Also in 2000, Baron Cohen as Ali G appeared as the limousine driver in Madonna's 2000 video "Music", directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who was also responsible for directing the titles for Da Ali G Show.

In 2002, Ali G was the central character in the feature film Ali G Indahouse, in which he is elected to the British Parliament and foils a plot to bulldoze a community centre in his hometown, Staines.[22] His television show was exported to the United States in 2003, with new episodes set there, for HBO.

Ali G's interviews with celebrities (often politicians) gained notoriety partly because the subjects were not privy to the joke that Ali G, rather than being a real interviewer, was a comic character played by Baron Cohen. According to Rolling Stone magazine, Baron Cohen would always enter the interview area in character as Ali G, carrying equipment and appearing to be an insignificant crew member. He would arrive with a suited man, whom the interviewee naturally thought was the interviewer. Baron Cohen, as Ali G, would sit down to begin conducting the interview by asking the interviewee some preliminary questions. The interviewee, however, would remain under the impression that the smartly-dressed director would be conducting the interview until short notice prior to cameras rolling: this would grant an advantage of surprise, whereby the interviewee would be less likely to opt out of the Ali interview prior to its start.[23]

The resulting willingness of Baron Cohen's targets to answer his frequently risqué questions often created surprising conversations. Interviewees have included:

Baron Cohen is a supporter of Comic Relief and as Ali G has hosted some interviews for the benefit of the charity.[24]

Borat

Main article: Borat Sagdiyev
Baron Cohen as Borat, 2006

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, a feature film with Borat at the centre, was screened at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and released in the United Kingdom on 2 November 2006, in the United States on 3 November 2006 and Australia 23 November 2006. The film is about a journey across the United States in an ice cream truck, in which the main character is obsessed with the idea of marrying Pamela Anderson. The film is a mockumentary which includes interviews with various American citizens that poke fun at American culture, as well as sexism, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, jingoism.

It debuted at the #1 spot in the US, taking in an estimated $26.4 million in just 837 theatres averaging $31,600 per theatre, the fourth highest per-theatre average of all time for movies opening wide (500 screens or more), behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Spider-Man.

Baron Cohen won the 2007 Golden Globe in the "Best Actor – Musical or Comedy" category, his sixth such award. Although Borat was up for "Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy", the film lost to Dreamgirls. On 23 January 2007, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He shared his nomination with the film's co-writers, Ant Hines, Peter Baynham, Sy Mordecai Finesto, Dan Mazer, and Todd Phillips.

Aside from the comic elements of his characters, Baron Cohen's performances are interpreted by some as reflecting uncomfortable truths about his audience. He juxtaposes his own Jewish lineage with the anti-Semitism of his character Borat.[25]

In 2007, Baron Cohen published a travel guide as Borat, with dual titles: Borat: Touristic Guidings To Minor Nation of U.S. and A. and Borat: Touristic Guidings To Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.[26]

On 21 December 2007, Baron Cohen announced he was retiring the character of Borat.[27]

Brüno

Main article: Brüno (character)

Another alter ego Sacha Baron Cohen performed as is 'Brüno', a flamboyantly gay, allegedly-19-year-old, Austrian fashion show presenter who often lures his unwitting subjects into making provocative statements and engaging in embarrassing behaviour, as well as leading them to contradict themselves, often in the same interview. Brüno asks the subjects to answer 'yes or no' questions with either "Vassup" (whats up) or "Ich don't think so" (No); these are occasionally substituted with "Ach, ja!" (Ah yes!) or "Nicht, nicht" ("Nicht" means "not" in German). In one segment on Da Ali G Show, he encouraged his guest to answer questions with either "Keep them in the ghetto" or "Train to Auschwitz". Brüno's main comedic satire pertains to the vacuity and inanity of the fashion and clubbing world. In May 2009, at the MTV Movie Awards, Baron Cohen appeared as 'Brüno' wearing a white angel costume, a white jock strap, white go-go boots, and white wings; and did an aerial stunt where he dropped from a height (using wires) onto Eminem. Baron Cohen landed on Eminem's lap, with his rear in Eminem's face, prompting Eminem to exit the venue with fellow rappers D12. Eminem later admitted to staging the stunt with Baron Cohen.[28] After an intense bidding war that included such Hollywood powerhouses as DreamWorks, Sony, and 20th Century Fox; Universal Pictures paid a reported $42.5 million for the film rights.[29] A number of shill companies and websites were created in order to draw potential interviewees into interviews by creating an illusion of legitimacy.[30] The film was released in July 2009.

Admiral General Aladeen

Baron Cohen's 2012 film, The Dictator, was described by its press as "the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed".[31] Baron Cohen played Admiral General Aladeen, a dictator from a fictional country called the Republic of Wadiya.[32][33] Borat and Bruno film director Larry Charles directed the film.[34] The main target of the film's satire was Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was still alive when the film was written.[35] The producers of the film were concerned it would anger Gaddafi, possibly even resulting in a terrorist attack, so they released deliberate misinformation saying that the film was loosely based on a romance novel written by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.[35]

On 26 February 2012, Baron Cohen was allegedly banned from attending the 84th Academy Awards in his role as Admiral General Aladeen but the rumour was denied by the Academy, saying "we haven't banned him. We're just waiting to hear what he's going to do" but made it clear that "Cohen is not welcome to use the red carpet as a platform for a promotional stunt".[36] Cohen eventually appeared at the awards' red carpet with a pair of uniformed female bodyguards, holding an urn which he claimed was filled with the ashes of Kim Jong-il. The "ashes", which Baron Cohen admitted to Howard Stern on the Tuesday, 8 May 2012 episode of The Howard Stern Show was flour, were "accidentally" spilled onto Ryan Seacrest.

Performer versus characters

Baron Cohen has often been confused with the identity of one of his characters. When he posed as Borat to host the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon, the central Hungarian news wire agency MTI reported that the host was 'Borat Sagdiyev'.[37] As most Hungarian newspapers and television networks take MTI as their official source, the misinterpretation of the character spread rapidly in Hungary, with some sources (such as TV2) emphasising that a Kazakh news reporter hosted the awards, while others (such as Index.hu) noticed and pointed out the error.[38]

Controversies and criticism

Baron Cohen has encountered many controversies regarding some of his comic characters:

Sacha Baron Cohen at the E! after party, January 2007.

In an interview with former British MP Neil Hamilton in 2000, Ali G offered Hamilton what was allegedly cannabis, which Hamilton accepted and smoked, creating some minor controversy in the British media.[39]

At the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, Borat introduced Gnarls Barkley's performance of "Crazy", where he made a comment about Jessica Simpson, saying that he liked her mouth and that he could see it clearly through her denim pants.

At the 2006 UK premiere of Borat, he arrived in Leicester Square in a cart pulled by a mule and a number of "Kazakh women", announcing: "Good evening, gentleman and prostitutes. After this I stay in a hotel in Kings Cross. We will all drink, wrestle with no clothes on and shoot dogs from the window."[40]

Baron Cohen has had some trouble because of racist or prejudiced comments his characters have made (see Da Ali G Show). HBO spokesman Quentin Schaffer has replied to criticism concerning Baron Cohen's characters, "Through his alter-egos, he delivers an obvious satire that exposes people's ignorance and prejudice in much the same way All in the Family did years ago."[41] Regarding his portrayal as the anti-Semitic Borat, Baron Cohen says the segments are a "dramatic demonstration of how racism feeds on dumb conformity, as much as rabid bigotry", rather than a display of racism by Baron Cohen himself.[42] "Borat essentially works as a tool. By himself being anti-Semitic, he lets people lower their guard and expose their own prejudice", Baron Cohen explains.[12] Addressing the same topic in an NPR interview with Robert Siegel, Baron Cohen says "...and I think that's quite an interesting thing with Borat, which is people really let down their guard with him because they're in a room with somebody who seems to have these outrageous opinions. They sometimes feel much more relaxed about letting their own outrageous, politically incorrect, prejudiced opinions come out."[43]

Baron Cohen, the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, says he also wishes in particular to expose the role of indifference in that genocide. "When I was in university, there was this major historian of the Third Reich, Ian Kershaw, who said, 'The path to Auschwitz was paved with indifference.' I know it's not very funny being a comedian talking about the Holocaust, but it's an interesting idea that not everyone in Germany had to be a raving anti-Semite. They just had to be apathetic."[12] Regarding the enthusiastic response to his song, "In My Country There Is Problem" (also known as "Throw the Jew Down the Well"), he says, "Did it reveal that they were anti-Semitic? Perhaps. But maybe it just revealed that they were indifferent to anti-Semitism."[12]

Baron Cohen walked onto the runway during the Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada fashion show in Milan on 26 September 2008. In the character of one of his alter-egos Brüno, he was wearing a costume made out of velcro. He appeared on the stage with a blanket and items of clothing stuck to his velcro suit. Lights were turned off while security intervened and escorted him off the stage, and the fashion show resumed normally shortly thereafter. Baron Cohen and his team allegedly accessed the fashion show using fake IDs.[44]

During an appearance on Late Show with David Letterman,[when?] Baron Cohen stated he was restricted from answering David Letterman's question as to how he managed to get an interview with Pat Buchanan while in character as Ali G due to pending "legal reasons".[45]

While introducing an award at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, Baron Cohen was lowered upside-down from the rafters dressed as an angel right into rapper Eminem's lap after an apparently staged problem with his wire harness. Baron Cohen had only a jockstrap on underneath and fully exposed his buttocks in Eminem's face. Eminem swore repeatedly, demanding that his friends, members of D12, each of whom were sitting next to Eminem, remove Baron Cohen, then left the auditorium.[46] Baron Cohen then announced the winner (Zac Efron) while still hanging from the wires above the stage. It was later revealed that Eminem and Baron Cohen had planned and rehearsed the gag together.[47]

Pauly Shore claimed, in 2009, that Baron Cohen's film, Brüno, was "stolen from Shore's 'mockumentary'", as the film Brüno had started production after the start of production for Adopted and also featured the main character adopting a child from a Third World nation.[48]

In March 2012, the organizers of a tournament in Kuwait caused some embarrassment after Baron Cohen's parody of the Kazakhstan national anthem from the film Borat, was played instead of the actual anthem at a medal ceremony.[49][50] The Kazakhstan shooting team demanded an apology from the organizers, who had mistakenly downloaded Baron Cohen's parody from the Internet.[51]

Future projects

Baron Cohen will star as Freddie Mercury of the rock band Queen in Mercury, an upcoming film about the period in the band's history from 1971 to the Live Aid concert in 1985.[52] It was Baron Cohen himself who contacted screenwriter Peter Morgan with the idea of portraying the flamboyant lead singer.[53] Time commented with approval on his singing ability and physical resemblance to Mercury.[54]

Other work

Baron Cohen guest-starred in the fifth season Curb Your Enthusiasm, with Dustin Hoffman as a guide to Heaven. He also provided the voice of the ring-tailed lemur king, King Julien, in DreamWorks Animation's film series, Madagascar, and appeared as Will Ferrell's arch rival the French Formula One speed demon Jean Girard in the 2006 hit Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He also appeared alongside Johnny Depp in the 2007 film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as Signor Adolfo Pirelli, and co-starred in Martin Scorsese's 2011 adventure film Hugo.

Baron Cohen tends to avoid doing interviews out of character. However, in 2004, he did the talk show circuit appearing as himself on Late Show with David Letterman, The Opie and Anthony Show, The Howard Stern Show,[55] and others in order to promote the upcoming season of his show on HBO. He was also interviewed on NPR's All Things Considered.[43] He also did an interview with Rolling Stone, published in November 2006, that the magazine labelled as "his only interview as himself".[12] He also appeared in an interview out of character with Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air on 4 January 2007.[56]

Baron Cohen has twice presented the MTV Europe Music Awards, first as Ali G on 8 November 2001, in Frankfurt, Germany, and then as Borat on 3 November 2005 in Lisbon, Portugal. Baron Cohen appeared out of character to accept an award at the British Comedy Awards in December 2006. He said at the time that Borat could not make it to the awards as "he's guest of honour at the Holocaust denial conference in Tehran",[57] referring to the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust.

Borat director Larry Charles explains that Baron Cohen generally appears in character partly to "protect his weakness", by focusing public interest on his characters rather than himself.[58] His other reason, Newsweek claims, is that Baron Cohen is fiercely private: "...according to the UK press, his publicists denied not only that he attended a party for the London premiere of Borat, but also that a party even occurred."[58]

It was reported online that Baron Cohen might play Freddie Mercury in a biographical film,[59] but his publicist later declared that Baron Cohen would not do so.[60] However, on 16 September 2010, representatives for Cohen confirmed that he would indeed be playing the role in an as-of-yet untitled biopic about Mercury.[61][62]

Baron Cohen shot a spread with supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio for Marie Claire magazine to promote the film Brüno.[63]

Sports Illustrated's 6 November 2006 issue contains a column called "Skater vs. Instigator", which illustrates various amusing "parallels" between Baron Cohen and figure skater Sasha Cohen, ranging from their mutually held personal significance of the number 4,[64] to their mutual romantic interests in redheads.

Baron Cohen was featured in the Time 100 list for 2007.[65]

In 2010, Cohen guest-starred on The Simpsons in the episode "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed" as Jakob, an angry Israeli tour guide.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Baron Cohen married Australian actress Isla Fisher on 15 March 2010.[66] After three years of study, Fisher converted to Judaism in early 2007.[67] She received the approval of Baron Cohen's observant Jewish parents.[68] Baron Cohen and Fisher have two daughters: Olive, born in 2007 in Los Angeles,[69] and Elula, born in 2010.[70]

Two residents of Glod, Romania, the Gypsy village in which the opening scenes of Borat were filmed, hired attorney Edward Fagan to sue the makers of Borat for $30 million. They alleged that the intent of the film was misrepresented to them, that the poorest members of their village were made to look like "savages", and that they were underpaid, particularly when their minute salaries were compared to the millions earned by the completed film. During several segments, children were filmed with guns and other weapons and in another scene, an amputee who lost his arm was told to wear a rubber fist sex toy.[71] The lawsuit was dismissed in New York hearing on the grounds that the allegations were too vague to stand up in court.[72]

The government of Kazakhstan threatened Baron Cohen with legal action following the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in Lisbon, and the authority in charge of the country's country-code top-level domain name removed the website that he had created for his character Borat (previously: http://www.borat.kz) for alleged violation of the law—specifically, registering for the domain under a false name. The New York Times, (among others), has reported that Baron Cohen, (in character as Borat), replied: "I'd like to state that I have no connection with Mr Cohen and fully support my government decision to sue this Jew".[73] He was, however, defended by Dariga Nazarbayeva, a politician and the daughter of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who stated, "We should not be afraid of humour and we shouldn't try to control everything, I think."[74] The deputy foreign minister of Kazakhstan later invited Baron Cohen to visit the country, stating that he could learn that "women drive cars, wine is made of grapes, and Jews are free to go to synagogues".[75] After the worldwide success of the Borat film, the Kazakh government, including the president, altered their stance on Baron Cohen's parody, tacitly recognising the invaluable press the controversy created for their country.[76]

Baron Cohen encountered another problem around his Borat character. Two of the three University of South Carolina students who appear in Borat sued the filmmakers, alleging that they were duped into signing release forms while drunk, and that false promises were made that the footage was for a documentary that would never be screened in the US. On 11 December 2006, a Los Angeles judge denied the pair a restraining order to remove them from the film. The lawsuit was dismissed in February 2007.[77]

On 22 May 2009, a charity worker at a seniors' bingo game sued Baron Cohen, claiming an incident shot for Brüno at a charity bingo tournament left her disabled.[78] However, the worker later retracted her statement, saying the "actor never struck her", but that he "beat her down emotionally to the point she's now confined to a wheelchair".[79] The scene did not make the final cut for the film. The case was dismissed in late November 2009 on Anti-SLAPP grounds with all attorney's fees to be paid by the charity worker. The dismissal was appealed and upheld on 12 September 2011.[80]

A lawsuit was filed on 30 April 2010 in the District of Columbia by Palestinian Christian Ayman Abu Aita of Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, West Bank, against Baron Cohen relating to his interview which was used in Brüno. Aita alleges that he has been defamed by false accusations that he is a terrorist. Aita included David Letterman in the suit based on comments made during the 7 July 2009 appearance by Baron Cohen on the Late Show with David Letterman.[81] On 4 November 2010, the D.C. case was dismissed with Aita given 120 days to file in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York or have the case permanently dismissed.[82] The case was re-filed in the Supreme Court of New York.[83]

Israel and Judaism

Baron Cohen first acted in theatrical productions featuring the Socialist-Zionist youth movement Habonim Dror.[84]

He spent a year in Israel at Kibbutz Rosh HaNikra and Kibbutz Beit HaEmek as part of the Shnat Habonim Dror, as well as taking part in the programme Machon L'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz for Jewish youth movement leaders.

According to Baron Cohen, "I wouldn't say I am a religious Jew. I am proud of my Jewish identity and there are certain things I do and customs I keep." He tries to keep kosher and attends synagogue about twice a year.[85]

Baron Cohen frequently spoke in Hebrew while playing the anti-Semitic character Borat. He also sang the lyrics from an old kibbutz song (pretending that it was the Kazakh national anthem) in an episode of Da Ali G Show. In one of the deleted scenes of his film, after being asked by the host-pastor to lead the table in a pre-meal prayer service, Baron Cohen, in his character role of Borat, sings a lengthy hymn (not Hebrew)[86] that has clear similarities to the Mussaf prayer service of the Jewish High Holidays.[original research?] He actually repeatedly sings two Polish phrases "Satan does not speak English" (Szatan nie mówi po angielsku)[87] and "Could you speak slowly please?"[original research?]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Jack and Jeremy's Police 4 Execution victim
Pump TV Presenter UK regional cable channel
1996 Punch Unnamed character Short film
1998 Live from the Lighthouse Ali G
1998–1999 The 11 O'Clock Show Writer
2000 The Jolly Boys' Last Stand Vinnie
Da Ali G Show Ali G / Borat Sagdiyev / Brüno 6 episodes
Writer
2002 Ali G Indahouse Ali G/Borat Sagdiyev Writer and executive producer
2003 Spyz James Bond (Ali G) Short film
Writer and executive producer
2003–2004 Da Ali G Show (US) Ali G / Borat Sagdiyev / Brüno 12 episodes
Writer and executive producer
2005 Curb Your Enthusiasm Larry's guide Season 5, Episode 10: "The End"
Madagascar King Julien XIII Voice only
2006 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Jean Girard
Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Event for Autism Education Borat Sagdiyev
Borat Writer and producer Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2007 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Signor Adolfo Pirelli
2008 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa King Julien XIII Voice only
2009 Brüno Brüno Writer and producer
2010 The Simpsons Jakob[88] Season 21, Episode 16: "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed"
Voice only
2011 Hugo Inspector Gustav
2012 The Dictator Admiral General Shabazz Aladeen Writer and producer
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted King Julien XIII Voice only
Les Misérables Thénardier[89][90]
2014 Mercury Freddie Mercury[91]

Awards and nominations

  • 1999 – Won British Comedy Award, Best Male Comedy Newcomer for The 11 O'Clock Show (1998)[92]
  • 2000 – Nominated BAFTA TV Award, Best Entertainment Performance for The 11 O'Clock Show (1998)[20]
  • 2000 – Nominated National Television Awards, UK, Most Popular Comedy Performer for Da Ali G Show (2000)
  • 2000 – Won TV Quick Award, TV Personality of the Year for Da Ali G Show (2000)
  • 2001 – Won BAFTA TV Award, Best Comedy (Programme or Series) for Da Ali G Show (2000) (shared)
  • 2001 – Won BAFTA TV Award, Best Comedy Performance for Da Ali G Show (2000)
  • 2003 – Nominated Emmy Award, Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Alternative) for Da Ali G Show (2003) (shared)
  • 2003 – Nominated Emmy Award, Outstanding Writing for Non-Fiction Programming for Da Ali G Show (2003) (shared)
  • 2004 – Nominated Golden Satellite Award, Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical for Da Ali G Show (2003)
  • 2005 – Nominated Emmy Award, Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series for Da Ali G Show (2003) (shared)
  • 2005 – Nominated Emmy Award, Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program for Da Ali G Show (2003) (shared)
  • 2006 – Won Ronnie Barker Award[93]
  • 2007 – Won MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss alongside Will Ferrell in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Borat awards and nominations

  • 2006 – Won: Los Angeles Films Critics Association Award for Best Actor.
  • 2006 – Won: San Francisco Films Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
  • 2006 – Winner: Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor.
  • 2006 – Won: Deutscher Comedypreis (German comedy award) for Best International Comedy.
  • 2007 – Won: Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical
  • 2007 – Nominated: Golden Globe for Best Picture Comedy/Musical.
  • 2007 – Nominated: London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actor of the Year.
  • 2007 – Nominated: Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (shared).
  • 2007 – Nominated: Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (shared).
  • 2007 – Won: MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance and Nominated for Best Movie as well and Best Fight with Ken Davitian.
  • 2007 – Won: The Evening Standard British Film Awards: Peter Sellers award for Best Comedy.

References

  1. ^ "Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen finally wed". News.com.au. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Baron Cohen, Sacha". BFI Film & TV Database. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
  3. ^ Christ's College - Alumni - Sacha Baron Cohen. © 2008 Christ's College
  4. ^ "Borat and Ali G are dead for Sacha Baron Cohen". actressarchives.com. The Daily Telegraph. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  5. ^ Entertainment Sacha Baron Cohen to shed Borat persona for good digitaljournal.com, 15 July 2009
  6. ^ a b Glazer, Sarah (2010). "The Provocative Baron Cohen Clan". Moment. Retrieved 31 July 2010. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  7. ^ a b Marquis Who's Who (2001). Who's who in Finance and Industry, Volume 32. Marquis Who's Who. p. 38.
  8. ^ Jay Rayner (4 November 2005). "Mutha of invention". The Observer. London. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  9. ^ Mount, Harry (15 September 2006). "Kazakhstan launches propaganda campaign against Borat". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
  10. ^ "Valley G's wicked Welsh rootz". BBC News. 28 March 2002. Retrieved 22 November 2006. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ White, Roland (21 January 2007). "Borat's easy ... being me is odd". The Times. London. Retrieved 18 June 2007. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ a b c d e Strauss, Neil. "Sacha Baron Cohen — The Real Borat — Finally Speaks". Rolling Stone.
  13. ^ Rayner, Jay (24 February 2002). "Mutha of invention". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 November 2006.
  14. ^ "New Statesman". newstatesman.com. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  15. ^ Andrew Anthony (7 June 200). "Sacha Baron Cohen: The comic who is always in your face". The Observer. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011.
  16. ^ "Alumni > Distinguished Members > Sacha Baron Cohen". Christ's College, Cambridge. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011.
  17. ^ a b Sacha Baron Cohen: Our man from Kazakhstan [The Observer]
  18. ^ Cavendish, Dominic (12 March 2001). "From the sublime to the ridicule". The Daily Telegraph
  19. ^ Lauerman, Kerry (3 November 2006). "It's Borat Day!". Video Dog. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  20. ^ a b c Robert A. Saunders (2009) The Many Faces of Sacha Baron Cohen: Politics, Parody, and the Battle Over Borat Rowman & Littlefield, p.41. Retrieved 27 February 2012
  21. ^ The 2001 Bafta award winners BBC. Retrieved 27 February 2012
  22. ^ Films - reviews: Ali G Indahouse (2002) BBC. Retrieved 27 February 2012
  23. ^ Strauss, Neil (14 November 2006). "The man behind the mustache". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 August 2008. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  24. ^ "Ali-G Interviews Posh Spice and David Beckham". Youtube.com. 26 February 2006. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  25. ^ Borat: Throw The Jew Down The Well
  26. ^ Ant Hines, Borat Sagdiyev and Sacha Baron Cohen (2007). Borat: touristic guidings to glorious nation of Kazakhstan : touristic guidings to minor nation of U. S. and A. Boxtree. ISBN 0-7522-2661-4. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  27. ^ (AFP) – 21 Dec 2007 (21 December 2007). "AFP: Comedian Cohen says he is killing off Borat". Google. Retrieved 31 July 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ "Eminem-Bruno stunt on MTV was planned". today.msnbc.msn.com/. 6 February 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  29. ^ "Borat is Rich...NOT". Forbes. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  30. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen's Guerilla Tactics". 19 March 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  31. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen to make film of 'Saddam Hussein book'". BBC News. 20 January 2011.
  32. ^ "First Official Shot From The Dictator". Empireonline.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  33. ^ "The Dictator Trailer & Official Movie Site". Paramount Pictures. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  34. ^ "A 'Borat' reunion on Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Dictator'?". Los Angeles Times. 15 November 2010.
  35. ^ a b "Sacha Baron Cohen: The Fresh Air Interview". NPR. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  36. ^ "Academy: Sacha Baron Cohen Not 'Banned' From Oscars But 'Dictator' Stunt Unwelcome". The Hollywood Reporter. 22 February 2012. {{cite magazine}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Text "last-Belloni" ignored (help)
  37. ^ "MTI reporting from MTV Europe Music Awards". Mti.hu. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  38. ^ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. 6 February 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2012. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  39. ^ "Hamilton 'shared joint' with Ali G". BBC News. 18 January 2000. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  40. ^ Oscars 2012: Sacha Baron Cohen spills 'Kim Jong-il's ashes' on Ryan Seacrest Telegraph. Retrieved 27 February 2012
  41. ^ Leibovitz, Liel (26 August 2004). "Did Ali G Go Too Far?". The Jewish Week. New York. Archived from the original on 26 August 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  42. ^ "'Borat' satire turns to farce at Toronto festival". Movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  43. ^ a b Siegel, Robert (23 July 2004). "Ali G: Fooling Serious Interviewees, All for a Laugh". NPR. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  44. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen Kicked Out of Milan Fashion Week"[dead link]
  45. ^ "The Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS
  46. ^ Brüno Lands On Eminem During Awkward MTV Movie Awards Moment
  47. ^ "Eminem Laughs About Brüno Butt in Face". Popeater.com. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  48. ^ Leah Simpson (5 July 2009). "Sacha's Up for a Fight". Daily Star Sunday. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  49. ^ Borat anthem stuns Kazakh gold medallist in Kuwait BBC News. Retrieved 24 March 2012
  50. ^ "Kazakh champion's golden moment is tarnished ... by a rendition of Borat's anthem". The Independent. Retrieved 24 March 2012
  51. ^ "Jagshemash! Kazakhstan national anthem replaced by Borat spoof version at ceremony". The Mirror. Retrieved 24 March 2012
  52. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen to play Freddie Mercury". BBC News. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  53. ^ "Writer Announced for Freddie Mercury Biopic". RollingStone. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  54. ^ Sacha Baron Cohen to Play Freddie Mercury, Time, 17 September 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2011
  55. ^ [1] The Howard Stern Show
  56. ^ Meet the Real Sacha Baron Cohen. Fresh Air. 4 January 2007 (advance to 21:10 in the interview).
  57. ^ "Merchant takes top comedy honour". BBC News. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  58. ^ a b Gordon, Devin. "Newsweek article". MSNBC. Retrieved 31 July 2010.[dead link]
  59. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen to Play Freddie Mercury , Spin Magazine Online". Spin.com. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  60. ^ Adler, Shawn (4 May 2007). "Sacha Baron Cohen Won't Play Freddie Mercury In Queen Biopic". Mtv. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  61. ^ May, Brian (17 September 2010). "Sacha Baron Cohen to play Freddie Mercury in film". HARDtalk. BBC News. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  62. ^ Mawuse Ziegbe (16 September 2010). "Sacha Baron Cohen To Play Freddie Mercury 'Borat' star will portray legendary Queen frontman". MTV. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  63. ^ "Marie Claire Spread". Elitemodels.com. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  64. ^ 4 is the Supreme Number of the Universe – CubicAO
  65. ^ Barr, Roseanne (4 May 2007). "Sacha Baron Cohen, Time 100". Time. Retrieved 4 May 2007.
  66. ^ "Isla Fisher and Sasha Baron Cohen Wed". Showbiz.sky.com. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  67. ^ "'I is marrying me Julie' , News". Evening Standard. UK. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  68. ^ "'I is marrying me Julie' , News". Evening Standard. UK. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  69. ^ It's a baby girl for Borat, Herald Sun, 20 October 2007.
  70. ^ "Find Out The Name of Isla Fisher's Baby". USMagazine accessdate=2011-03-11. {{cite web}}: Missing pipe in: |publisher= (help)
  71. ^ "Borat film 'tricked' poor village actors", Daily Mail, 11 November 2006.
  72. ^ "New York judge questions viability of villagers' 'Borat' lawsuit" IHT, 5 December 2006
  73. ^ "British comic responds to legal threat against 'Borat'", CBC, 25 November 2005.
  74. ^ "Daughter of Kazakhstan's president defends Borat", CBC, 21 April 2006.
  75. ^ "Kazakh invite for Borat creator", BBC News, 19 October 2006.
  76. ^ Saunders, Robert A. (Spring 2008), "Buying into Brand Borat: Kazakhstan’s Cautious Embrace of Its Unwanted 'Son'", Slavic Review, 67(1): 63–80.
  77. ^ "Borat Frat Boys Lawsuit Dismissed By Judge Who Secretly Knows Sacha Baron Cohen's Golden Globes Speech By Heart". Defamer.com. 16 February 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  78. ^ "Richelle Olson : Bruno the Austrian Fashionista Sued". Newsbizarre.com. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  79. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen - BINGO! Re-Sued". TMZ.com. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  80. ^ "Olson v. Cohen Cal: Court of Appeal, 2nd Appellate Dist., 7th Div., 2011". Scholar.google.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  81. ^ Complaint filed in the District of Columbia, Case No. 2010CA002966, retrieved on 30 May 2010
  82. ^ DC Court Cases Online, case 2010CA002966)
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  84. ^ Scott, Kirsty (29 September 2006). "He becomes the character, certainly with Ali G and Borat. He has a mix of Sellers's acting and Rod Hull's bottle". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 16 January 2007. First acted with the Habonim Dror Jewish youth group and at Cambridge in plays such as Cyrano de Bergerac and Fiddler on the Roof.
  85. ^ "Borat's easy ... being me is odd", Times Online article archived by archive.org.
  86. ^ “” (24 November 2008). "Borat dinner prayer scene". YouTube. Retrieved 31 July 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  87. ^ http://kulturaonline.pl/dlaczego,borat,mowi,po,polsku,tytul,artykul,271.html
  88. ^ The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed (#21.16). IMDB.
  89. ^ Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter to Star in Film Version of Les Miserables , John Logan to Write Jersey Boys Film and William Shatner is Back on Broadway.
  90. ^ Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Evans, Linzi Hateley and More Confirmed for "Les Miz" Film
  91. ^ "Sacha Baron Cohen's Queen biopic given title" 2 December 2011, NME
  92. ^ Royles clean up at comedy awards BBC News. Retrieved 27 February 2012
  93. ^ "Sacha leaves Borat behind as he steps out with Isla". Hello!. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
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Preceded by MTV Europe Music Awards host
2001 (as Ali G)
2005 (as Borat) 		Succeeded by

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