‘Borat’ bully? Sacha Baron Cohen vs. Rebel Wilson
Sacha Baron Cohen fired back at his former Brothers Grimsby co-star Rebel Wilson hours after she revealed the irreverent Borat
star inspired an entire chapter in her upcoming memoir.
For weeks, Wilson teased her new book, Rebel Rising, on social media, dropping hints about its contents. Earlier this month, she said in an Instagram video that it would explain why she has a “no a–” policy in place for her Hollywood work and noted that she once co-starred with a “massive a–.” On Sunday evening, the Bridesmaids
actor shared more than just her co-star’s identity.
“I will not be bullied or silenced by high priced lawyers or PR crisis managers,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “The ‘a–’ that I am talking about in ONE CHAPTER of my book is: Sacha Baron Cohen.”
Wilson’s Instagram story did not reveal additional details about her time working with Cohen, 52, but it did prompt a response from the Les Misérables and Brüno star early Monday morning.
“While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage, and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of The Brothers Grimsby,” a representative for Cohen said in a statement shared with The Times on Monday.
Wilson and Cohen co-starred in Louis Leterrier’s raunchy, spy-duo comedy The Brothers Grimsby in 2016. Cohen played the dopey brother to Mark Strong‘s accomplished MI6 agent and Wilson played Cohen’s on-screen girlfriend.
Long before Rebel Rising, Wilson voiced discomfort about her time on the comedy, which was co-written by Cohen.
In 2016, the Australian Pitch Perfect star told Marie Claire UK that the film’s team wanted “full-frontal nudity” for her character, despite the strict “no nudity” clause in her contract. She reportedly said during a radio show appearance in 2014 that Cohen also pitched a sexual sight gag for the film.
Wilson said that after she rejected his idea, Cohen tried asking again, allegedly saying, “Look, I’ll just pull down my pants, you just stick your finger up my butt, it’ll be a really funny bit,” Variety reported.
With Rebel Rising, Wilson, 44, delves into her sexuality, her “weight gain and loss” journey, fertility issues, and more. The book’s description reads: “This memoir shows us how to love ourselves while making us laugh uncontrollably.”
Rebel Rising hits shelves on April 2.
(Los Angeles Times/TNS)*