History of Sacha Baron Cohen in Timeline
Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is an English actor and comedian renowned for his satirical characters like Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Aladeen. His work has garnered critical acclaim, including two BAFTA TV Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a SAG Award. He has also been nominated for three Academy Awards and six Primetime Emmy Awards, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in comedy and entertainment.
1932: Father Gerald Born
In 1932, Baron Cohen's father, editor-turned-clothing-store owner Gerald "Jerry" Baron Cohen, was born into a Belarusian Ashkenazi Jewish family in London.
1936: Maternal Grandmother Fled Nazis
In 1936, Baron Cohen's maternal grandmother, Liesel (née Levi), fled the Nazis while training as a ballet dancer in Germany.
1939: Mother Daniella Born
In 1939, Baron Cohen's mother, photographer Daniella (née Weiser), was born in British Mandatory Palestine to German Jewish parents.
October 1971: Born in London
In October 1971, Sacha Noam Baron Cohen was born in the Hammersmith area of London to an English Ashkenazi Jewish family.
October 1971: Sacha Noam Baron Cohen Born
On October 1971, Sacha Noam Baron Cohen was born in London, England, to Daniella (née Weiser), a photographer, and Gerald "Jerry" Baron Cohen, a clothing store owner.
1993: Graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge
In 1993, Baron Cohen graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge, with upper-second-class honors in history, focusing on antisemitism.
1996: Presented F2F for Granada Talk TV
In 1996, Baron Cohen began presenting the youth chat programme F2F for Granada Talk TV and appeared in an advertisement for McCain Microchips.
1996: Developed Borat Character
In 1996, the Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev was first developed for short skits on F2F on Granada Talk TV, presented by Baron Cohen. At this time, the character was known as Alexi Krickler.
1997: Borat on F2F
In 1997, Borat continued to appear on F2F on Granada Talk TV.
September 1998: First Aired on The 11 O'Clock Show
On September 1998, Ali G started appearing on the British television show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4.
1998: Started in The 11 O'Clock Show
In 1998, Baron Cohen began his television career in the late-night series The 11 O'Clock Show.
1999: Won Best Newcomer at Comedy Awards
Baron Cohen won Best Newcomer at the 1999 British Comedy Awards.
1999: Won British Comedy Award
In 1999, Baron Cohen won the British Comedy Award for Best Male Newcomer.
1999: Comedian of the Year
In 1999, GQ named Baron Cohen Comedian of the Year. He also won Best Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards.
2000: Starred as Ali G in Da Ali G Show
In 2000, Baron Cohen created and starred as Ali G in the satirical sketch comedy show Da Ali G Show.
2000: First feature film appearance
In 2000, Baron Cohen made his first feature film appearance in the British comedy The Jolly Boys' Last Stand. Also in 2000, he played Super Greg for Lee Jeans advertisements.
2000: Da Ali G Show began
In 2000, Da Ali G Show began. Also in 2000, Baron Cohen appeared as Ali G in Madonna's music video "Music".
November 2001: MTV Europe Music Awards
On November 8, 2001, Sacha Baron Cohen presented the MTV Europe Music Awards as Ali G in Frankfurt, Germany.
2001: Ranked Eighth Greatest TV Character
In 2001, Ali G was ranked eighth on Channel 4's list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.
2001: Ali G interviewed David Beckham and Victoria
In 2001, Baron Cohen as Ali G interviewed David Beckham and his wife Victoria for Comic Relief.
2002: Wrote, produced and starred in Ali G Indahouse
In 2002, Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and starred in the comedy film Ali G Indahouse.
2002: Ali G Indahouse film released
In 2002, the film Ali G Indahouse, starring Ali G, was released.
2003: Da Ali G Show exported to the United States
In 2003, Da Ali G Show was exported to the United States for HBO, with new episodes set there.
November 2005: MTV Europe Music Awards
On November 3, 2005, Sacha Baron Cohen presented the MTV Europe Music Awards as Borat in Lisbon, Portugal.
2005: Voiced King Julien XIII in Madagascar film series
In 2005, Baron Cohen began voicing King Julien XIII in the Madagascar film series.
2005: Kazakhstan threatens legal action
In 2005, the government of Kazakhstan threatened Sacha Baron Cohen with legal action following the MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in Lisbon and removed the website for his character Borat.
November 2006: Borat Film Release
In November 2006, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was released in the United Kingdom on November 2nd, in the United States on November 3rd and in Australia on November 23rd. The film is a mockumentary which includes interviews with various Americans that poke fun at American culture, as well as sexism, racism, homophobia, antisemitism and jingoism.
November 2006: Rolling Stone interview
In November 2006, Rolling Stone published an interview with Sacha Baron Cohen, which the magazine labelled as "his only interview as himself".
November 2006: Skater vs. Instigator
Sports Illustrated's November 6, 2006 issue contained a column called "Skater vs. Instigator", illustrating parallels between Sacha Baron Cohen and figure skater Sasha Cohen.
December 2006: British Comedy Awards
In December 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared out of character to accept an award at the British Comedy Awards, stating that Borat was unable to attend.
December 2006: Lawsuit filed by USC students
On December 11, 2006, a Los Angeles judge denied a restraining order to remove two University of South Carolina students from the film Borat after the students sued the filmmakers.
2006: MTV Movie Awards
At the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, Borat introduced Gnarls Barkley's performance of "Crazy", making a comment about Jessica Simpson.
2006: UK premiere of Borat
At the 2006 UK premiere of Borat at Leicester Square, Sacha Baron Cohen arrived in a cart pulled by a mule and made controversial statements.
2006: Wrote and starred in Borat
In 2006, Baron Cohen wrote and starred in the movie Borat, for which he received a Golden Globe Award.
2006: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
In 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared in the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby as Jean Girard, the arch rival of Will Ferrell's character.
January 2007: Won Golden Globe and Nominated for Academy Award
In January 2007, Baron Cohen won the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for Borat and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
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.
February 2007: Lawsuit dismissed
In February 2007, the lawsuit filed by two University of South Carolina students who appeared in Borat was dismissed.
December 2007: Announced Retirement of Borat Character
On December 21, 2007, Baron Cohen announced he was retiring the character of Borat.
2007: Acted in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
In 2007, Baron Cohen acted in the drama film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
2007: Time 100 list
Sacha Baron Cohen was featured in the Time 100 list for 2007.
September 2008: Fashion show incident
On September 26, 2008, Sacha Baron Cohen, in-character as Brüno, walked onto the catwalk during the Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada fashion show in Milan, disrupting the show.
2008: Became member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
In 2008, Baron Cohen became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the Actors Branch.
May 2009: MTV Movie Awards Appearance as Brüno
In May 2009, at the MTV Movie Awards, Baron Cohen appeared as Brüno and performed a staged stunt with Eminem.
May 2009: Charity worker sues Baron Cohen
On May 22, 2009, a charity worker at a seniors' bingo game sued Sacha Baron Cohen, claiming an incident shot for Brüno at a charity bingo tournament left her disabled.
July 2009: Baron Cohen's appearance on "Late Show with David Letterman"
During a July 2009 appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, Sacha Baron Cohen made comments that led to Ayman Abu Aita including David Letterman in his lawsuit, based on Cohen's claims that Abu Aita was a "terrorist".
July 2009: Brüno film released
In July 2009, the film Brüno was released after Universal Pictures acquired the film rights. Shill companies and websites were created to draw potential interviewees by creating an illusion of legitimacy.
November 2009: Case dismissed
In late November 2009, the case against Sacha Baron Cohen filed by a charity worker was dismissed on anti-SLAPP grounds.
2009: Wrote, produced and starred in Brüno
In 2009, Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and starred in the comedy film Brüno.
March 2010: Baron Cohen marries Isla Fisher
On 15 March 2010, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher were married in a Jewish ceremony in Milan and Paris. Fisher had converted to Judaism prior to the marriage.
April 2010: Ayman Abu Aita files lawsuit against Baron Cohen
In April 2010, Ayman Abu Aita, a Palestinian Christian grocer, filed a lawsuit against Sacha Baron Cohen for defamation. This was due to his portrayal in the film Brüno as a member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. Abu Aita claimed he was falsely accused of being a "terrorist".
September 2010: Set to play Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody
In September 2010, it was confirmed that Sacha Baron Cohen was set to play Freddie Mercury in the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic.
September 2011: Dismissal upheld
On September 12, 2011, the dismissal of the case against Sacha Baron Cohen was appealed and upheld.
February 2012: Banned from the 84th Academy Awards
In February 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as Admiral General Aladeen, claimed he was banned from attending the 84th Academy Awards. The Academy denied banning him but clarified he was not welcome to use the red carpet for a promotional stunt.
September 2012: Defamation claim settled out of court
In September 2012, the defamation claim filed by Ayman Abu Aita against Sacha Baron Cohen was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, resolving the dispute that originated from Cohen's portrayal of Abu Aita in the movie Brüno.
2012: Accepted Outstanding Achievement Award
In 2012, 13 years after winning Best Newcomer, Baron Cohen accepted the Outstanding Achievement Award from Sir Ben Kingsley as Ali G at the British Comedy Awards.
2012: Wrote, produced and starred in The Dictator and acted in Les Misérables
In 2012, Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and starred in the comedy film The Dictator and acted in the drama film Les Misérables.
2012: The Dictator Film Released
In 2012, Baron Cohen's film, The Dictator, was released, in which he played Admiral General Aladeen, a dictator from a fictional country called the Republic of Wadiya. The film was directed by Larry Charles.
2012: Madagascar film series ended
In 2012, Baron Cohen's work with the Madagascar film series concluded.
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: Les Misérables
In 2012, Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed Thénardier in the film version of the musical Les Misérables.
July 2013: Drops out of Bohemian Rhapsody
In July 2013, Sacha Baron Cohen dropped out of the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic due to creative differences with the surviving members of Queen.
2013: Received BAFTA Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award
In 2013, Baron Cohen received the BAFTA Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy.
2013: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
In 2013, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared as a BBC News Anchor in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
2014: Deal with Paramount Pictures renewed
In 2014, the first-look deal between Sacha Baron Cohen's production company and Paramount Pictures was renewed for three years.
December 2015: Donation to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee
On December 28, 2015, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher donated £335,000 to Save the Children and the same amount to the International Rescue Committee to help Syrian refugees.
2016: Wrote, produced and starred in Grimsby
In 2016, Baron Cohen wrote, produced, and starred in the comedy film Grimsby.
2016: Father Gerald Baron Cohen Died
In 2016, Baron Cohen's father, Gerald "Jerry" Baron Cohen, passed away.
2016: Grimsby film released
In 2016, Sacha Baron Cohen's film Grimsby (The Brothers Grimsby in the US) was released, receiving mixed reviews and failing at the box office.
May 2018: Jason Spencer loses primary election
In May 2018, Jason Spencer, a Republican state representative, lost his primary election to Steven Sainz, a political novice, after an episode where he was taught by Sacha Baron Cohen's character how to repel terrorists aired.
July 2018: Jason Spencer resigns
On July 31, 2018, Jason Spencer resigned from his position as a state representative after initially refusing to step down following an episode where he was taught by a Sacha Baron Cohen character how to repel terrorists.
2018: Created and starred in Who Is America?
In 2018, Baron Cohen created and starred in the Showtime satirical mockumentary series Who Is America?, earning a Golden Globe nomination.
2018: Named among the best living comedians
In 2018, The Times named Sacha Baron Cohen among the 30 best living comedians.
2018: Borat Returns
In 2018, the character Borat was brought back on an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
2019: Portrayed Eli Cohen in The Spy
In 2019, Baron Cohen portrayed Eli Cohen in the Netflix limited series The Spy, receiving a Golden Globe nomination.
2019: Anti-Defamation League's International Leadership Award
In 2019, Sacha Baron Cohen was awarded the Anti-Defamation League's International Leadership Award and criticized internet companies in his speech.
June 2020: Baron Cohen crashes right-wing protest
In June 2020, Sacha Baron Cohen, disguised under heavy make-up, crashed the "March for Our Rights 3" protest in Olympia, Washington. He sang a song attacking liberals and various entities, later revealed to be part of filming for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. He was eventually forced to flee in a private ambulance.
September 2020: The Trial of the Chicago 7 released
In September 2020, The Trial of the Chicago 7, in which Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed Abbie Hoffman, was released to positive reviews.
2020: Starred in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and The Trial of the Chicago 7
In 2020, Baron Cohen starred in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, earning a Golden Globe nomination, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Trial of the Chicago 7.
2020: Donation of PPE to NHS workers
In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher partnered with Marc Benioff to send a planeload of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to National Health Service workers in the UK.
2020: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm released
In 2020, the sequel Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was released, for which he won another Golden Globe Award.
July 2021: Roy Moore's lawsuit dismissed
On 13 July 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed the $95 million lawsuit filed by Roy Moore against Sacha Baron Cohen. The lawsuit related to a mock interview in Who is America? and allegations of paedophilia, but the court found that Moore had signed a consent agreement barring his claims.
2021: Voiced Uncle Ugo in Luca
In 2021, Baron Cohen voiced Uncle Ugo in the film Luca.
July 2022: Baron Cohen defeats Roy Moore's lawsuit
On 8 July 2022, Sacha Baron Cohen won against the lawsuit filed by Roy Moore. This legal victory concluded the dispute arising from Cohen's mock interview with Moore on "Who is America?" and the subsequent allegations.
2022: Borat Standup Routine
In 2022, Baron Cohen did a standup routine as Borat for the induction of U2 at the Kennedy Center Honors.
August 2023: Speech at the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington
In August 2023, Sacha Baron Cohen spoke alongside Martin Luther King III and Al Sharpton at the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.
October 2023: Criticism of WGA leaders
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 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 Gaza war.
2023: Open letter to President Biden
In 2023, Sacha Baron Cohen was one of the actors to sign an open letter to President Biden calling for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas.
April 2024: Baron Cohen and Fisher announce divorce filing
On 5 April 2024, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher jointly announced that they had filed for divorce at the end of 2023, marking the end of their long-term relationship.
October 2024: Donation to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee
In October 2024, Sacha Baron Cohen donated $500,000 to Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee to support their work tackling a displacement crisis and famine in Sudan.
November 2024: Disclaimer miniseries release
The Apple TV+ miniseries Disclaimer, starring Sacha Baron Cohen, ran from October to November 2024.
June 2025: Baron Cohen and Fisher finalize divorce
On 13 June 2025, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher announced the finalization of their divorce, stating that they remain friends despite the end of their marriage.
July 2025: Ironheart appearance
In July 2025, Sacha Baron Cohen made a guest appearance in the Disney+ miniseries Ironheart, where he portrayed Mephisto.
2025: Starred as Mephisto in Ironheart
In 2025, Baron Cohen starred as Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with the miniseries Ironheart.
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