Sacha Baron Cohen says Ali G character can 'expose prejudice' amid criticism

• Sacha Baron Cohen has defended bringing back his iconic satirical character Ali G for the new film Ali G: Who Iz I?, arguing that the character being outdated and problematic is the exact reason he resurrected him to “expose prejudice, bias, and stupidity”.
• The comedian responded to growing calls for a boycott led by news comparison site NewsCord, whose campaign claims the character relies on offensive stereotypes and cultural appropriation, citing historical criticism from Black British comedians.
• Writing in an essay for Time magazine, Cohen explained that Ali G is a white delusional cultural appropriator designed to undermine the white male establishment rather than the culture he borrows from.
• Cohen emphasised that his new film aims to sound the alarm on modern societal issues, including surging intolerance, political violence, and the spread of dangerous lies via social media and artificial intelligence ahead of the US midterm elections.
• The secret project wrapped filming in July and will serve as Cohen's directorial debut, with British comedian Morgana Robinson co-starring as Ali G's girlfriend Julie.

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Sacha Baron Cohen defends reviving ‘problematic’ Ali G character: ‘That’s the reason I resurrected him’