Sacha Baron Cohen revives the ‘problematic dinosaur’ Ali G in new film

Los Angeles, October 25 — Sacha Baron Cohen has reinvigorated his controversial character Ali G in the new film Ali G: Who Iz I? The comedian, who made his mark as a director with this venture, revisits the persona that originated from a British television segment and expanded into the popular show Da Ali G Show. In the series, Cohen portrayed a white man enamored with hip-hop and reggae who interviewed public figures, including Donald Trump and Buzz Aldrin, without their knowledge of being part of the act.

The new mockumentary sees the character on a quest for a second chance on television, propelled by his desire for finances after learning his girlfriend Julie (played by Morgana Robinson) is expecting a child.

Cohen, 55, embraced the role in character for the film's Los Angeles premiere, donning neon yellow attire head to toe. He exited a convertible with his real-life wife Julie and performed Richer than Elon, a satirical song about SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. At a subsequent press conference, Cohen defended satire as a tool for exposing societal issues.

He highlighted the current division in society, where a few billionaires dictate the flow of information, leading to societies and democracies relying on shared facts. Cohen expressed concern over the trend toward autocracies that thrive on shared lies, and the influence of AI on the selection of information.