Sacha Baron Cohen, the mastermind behind comedic characters such as ‘Borat‘ and ‘Bruno‘, is no stranger to controversy. His unique brand of satire has garnered both acclaim and criticism as it often pushes the boundaries of social commentary. However, his style of comedy had previously gotten him in trouble.
During the production of ‘Bruno,’ a film that follows the exploits of a gay Austrian fashion journalist, Cohen found himself at the center of a disturbing altercation. While filming in Jerusalem, he was reportedly attacked by a group of individuals who took offense to his portrayal of a gay character.
The attackers allegedly targeted Cohen with homophobic slurs and subjected him to physical violence, resulting in injuries. On top of all this, when Cohen intended to satirize and shed light on societal prejudices, some individuals reacted violently to his portrayal of a gay character.
The incident sparked discussions about the line between comedy and offense. With the internet being the internet a lot of people thought of Cohen getting beaten up as justice. All in all, the attack on Sacha Baron Cohen underscores the complex relationship between comedy and societal norms. Moreover, Cohen has remained committed to his craft and continued to push boundaries through his work.
Related: Will Sacha Baron Cohen Make His MCU Debut As A Supervillain?
“A Few Times In My Career, I Have Genuinely Feared For My Life”: Sacha Baron Cohen
Cohen talked about fearing for his life while filming a cage fighting scene at an actual event with a random audience. Sacha and his partner from the audience engaged in intimate actions in the ring almost starting a riot. “When my fake ex-boyfriend volunteered, we engaged in some heavy petting, triggering a near riot,” he shared in Time Magazine op-ed.
He talked about how the audience consisted of prisoners with swastika tattoos. He explained how the crowd ‘erupted in homophobic slurs’. He said, “The crowd – including some recently paroled prisoners with swastika tattoos – erupted in homophobic slurs and started hurling metal chairs at us. Had I not ducked into a trapdoor and out an escape tunnel. I think the crowd would have beaten me senseless.”
With all being said, ‘Bruno‘ was a film that used humor to tackle subjects like bias, sexuality, and celebrity culture. However, the filming of the movie itself proved how dangerous it was to talk about these topics back in the day as the movie was filmed in 2009.
You might also like to read:
