Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Sacha Baron Cohen

Discover the career path of Sacha Baron Cohen, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is an English comedian, actor, and performance artist recognized for his satirical characters like Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Aladeen. He has received numerous awards, including three Golden Globe Awards and two BAFTA TV Awards, along with nominations for Academy Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards. His work often involves pushing boundaries and using humor to address social and political issues.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1995: Auditioning for Channel 4

In 1995, Sacha Baron Cohen sent a tape to Channel 4 as part of an open call for new television presenters.

1996: Hosting Pump TV

From 1995 to 1996, Sacha Baron Cohen hosted Pump TV.

1996: Early Borat Character

From 1996 to 1997, Sacha Baron Cohen developed the Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev for short skits on F2F on Granada Television, with the character known as Alexi Krickler at the time.

1997: Early Borat Character

From 1996 to 1997, Sacha Baron Cohen developed the Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev for short skits on F2F on Granada Television, with the character known as Alexi Krickler at the time.

September 1998: The 11 O'Clock Show Debut

On September 8, 1998, Ali G first appeared on the British television show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4.

1998: Early Television Career

In 1998, Sacha Baron Cohen began his television career in the late-night series The 11 O'Clock Show.

1999: Continued Television Work

In 1999, Sacha Baron Cohen continued working on The 11 O'Clock Show.

2000: Da Ali G Show Begins and Madonna Music Video

In 2000, Da Ali G Show began, and Baron Cohen as Ali G appeared in Madonna's "Music" video.

2000: Creation of Da Ali G Show

In 2000, Sacha Baron Cohen created and starred as Ali G in the satirical sketch comedy show Da Ali G Show.

2000: The Jolly Boys' Last Stand

In 2000, Sacha Baron Cohen made his first feature film appearance in the British comedy The Jolly Boys' Last Stand. He also appeared in a series of TV advertisements for Lee Jeans as Super Greg.

November 2001: MTV Europe Music Awards Presentation

In November 2001, Sacha Baron Cohen, as Ali G, presented the MTV Europe Music Awards in Frankfurt, Germany.

2001: Interviewing David Beckham

In 2001, as Ali G, Sacha Baron Cohen interviewed David Beckham and his wife Victoria for Comic Relief.

2002: Ali G Indahouse Film Release

In 2002, Ali G was the central character in the feature film Ali G Indahouse.

2003: US Television Show Export

In 2003, Da Ali G Show was exported to the United States for HBO, with new episodes set there.

2004: Da Ali G Show End

In 2004, Da Ali G Show ended.

2004: Talk Show Circuit

In 2004, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared as himself on talk shows to promote the upcoming season of his HBO show.

November 2005: MTV Europe Music Awards Presentation

In November 2005, Sacha Baron Cohen, as Borat, presented the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal.

2005: Madagascar Film Series

In 2005, Sacha Baron Cohen started voicing King Julien XIII in the Madagascar film series.

November 2006: Rolling Stone Interview

In November 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen gave an interview with Rolling Stone, labeled as "his only interview as himself".

December 2006: British Comedy Awards Acceptance

In December 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen accepted an award at the British Comedy Awards out of character.

2006: Talladega Nights Appearance

In 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared as Jean Girard in 'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'.

2006: Starring in Borat

In 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen wrote and starred in Borat.

January 2007: Fresh Air Interview

On January 4, 2007, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared in an interview out of character with Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air.

December 2007: Retirement of Borat Character

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

2007: Sweeney Todd Film

In 2007, Sacha Baron Cohen acted in the drama film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

July 2009: Late Show Appearance

In July 2009, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, where he made comments related to Ayman Abu Aita.

2009: Portrayal of Eli Cohen in The Spy

In 2009, Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed Eli Cohen in the Netflix limited series The Spy, earning a Golden Globe nomination.

2009: Brüno Film

In 2009, Sacha Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and acted in the comedy film Brüno.

September 2010: Confirmed to Play Freddie Mercury

In September 2010, Sacha Baron Cohen was confirmed to play Freddie Mercury in the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' biopic.

2011: Hugo Film

In 2011, Sacha Baron Cohen acted in the drama film Hugo.

2011: Hugo Co-starring Role

In 2011, Sacha Baron Cohen co-starred in Martin Scorsese's adventure film 'Hugo'.

2012: First-look Deal with Paramount Pictures

In 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen and his production company Four By Two Films signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures.

2012: Continued Voicing King Julien XIII

In 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen continued to voice King Julien XIII in the Madagascar film series.

2012: Les Misérables Role

In 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed Thénardier in the film version of the musical 'Les Misérables'.

2012: The Dictator Film

In 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and acted in the comedy film The Dictator.

July 2013: Drops out of Bohemian Rhapsody Biopic

In July 2013, Sacha Baron Cohen dropped out of the Freddie Mercury biopic due to creative differences.

2013: Anchorman 2 Appearance

In 2013, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared as a BBC News Anchor in 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues'.

2014: Paramount Pictures Deal Renewal

In 2014, the first-look deal between Sacha Baron Cohen's Four By Two Films and Paramount Pictures was renewed for three years.

December 2015: Donation to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee

In December 2015, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher donated £335,000 to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee to aid Syrian refugees and vaccinate children.

2016: Grimsby Film

In 2016, Sacha Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and acted in the comedy film Grimsby.

May 2018: Jason Spencer loses primary

In May 2018, Republican state representative Jason Spencer lost his primary to Steven Sainz after an episode where he was taught to detect terrorists by Sacha Baron Cohen's character.

July 2018: Jason Spencer resigns

In July 2018, Jason Spencer resigned from his position as a Republican state representative after a controversial episode with Sacha Baron Cohen. He stepped down on 31 July 2018, leaving the seat vacant.

2018: Creation of Who Is America?

In 2018, Sacha Baron Cohen created and starred in the Showtime satirical mockumentary series Who Is America?

2018: Borat's Return

In 2018, the Borat character was brought back on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

2019: Anti-Defamation League International Leadership Award

In 2019, Sacha Baron Cohen received the Anti-Defamation League's International Leadership Award and delivered a speech criticizing internet companies for their handling of hate speech.

September 2020: The Trial of the Chicago 7 Release

In September 2020, Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed Abbie Hoffman in 'The Trial of the Chicago 7', which was released to positive reviews.

2020: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

In 2020, Sacha Baron Cohen released Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, for which he won another Golden Globe Award.

2020: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and Trial of the Chicago 7

In 2020, Sacha Baron Cohen starred in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Abbie Hoffman in The Trial of the Chicago 7.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Efforts

In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher partnered with Marc Benioff to send PPE to NHS workers in the UK.

2021: Luca Film

In 2021, Sacha Baron Cohen voiced Uncle Ugo in Luca.

2022: Kennedy Center Honors as Borat

In 2022, Sacha Baron Cohen performed a standup routine as Borat for the induction of U2 at the Kennedy Center Honors.

August 2023: Speech at March on Washington Anniversary

In August 2023, Sacha Baron Cohen spoke at the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King III and Rev. Al Sharpton.

October 2023: Criticism of WGA Leadership

In October 2023, Sacha Baron Cohen was among the members of the Writers Guild of America that called out its guild leaders for not speaking in support of Israel during the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza.

November 2023: Challenging TikTok Executives

In November 2023, Sacha Baron Cohen was among more than a dozen creators and celebrities who challenged TikTok executives on the subject of content moderation and the safety of Jewish users amidst the early stages of the Israel-Hamas War.

2023: Open Letter on Hostage Release

In 2023, Sacha Baron Cohen signed an open letter to President Biden calling for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas.

October 2024: Donation for Sudan Crisis

In October 2024, Sacha Baron Cohen donated $500,000 to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee to help support their work tackling a displacement crisis and famine in Sudan.