Master of disguise and always controversial, Sacha Baron Cohen has stated that Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm is his last undercover film. It’s been roughly 25 years since Cohen first began to transform into the clueless Kazakhstani reporter originally known as Alexi Krickler. In time Borat Sagdiyev was born and the world hasn’t been the same since.
In addition to his two Borat films, Cohen has consistently managed to pull off some truly astounding feats while in character, often at the expense of those who wanted nothing to do with him in the first place. Cohen has literally been responsible for the resignation of a Georgia lawmaker, faced countless lawsuits for duping seemingly regular people into sharing awful and backward opinions, and, of course, placed many politicians in some truly compromising situations. All in all, the secrecy that Cohen employs while in character and making films like Borat, Bruno, or The Dictator has arguably been his greatest weapon. Each film made in this way requires immense preparation and planning, regardless of how off the cuff the final product may often appear to be.
However, it’s bad news for fans who are hoping for more “undercover” films from Cohen in the future. During a recent interview with CBS This Morning, Cohen was asked if he would consider doing another undercover film. His response was quick and to the point, leaving the impression that he has officially made up his mind on the matter: “Uh, no. I can’t do it again. I was lucky to make it out of this one fully intact. So… no.”
By this point in his career, Cohen is instantly recognizable globally and, in some cases, it could be argued that he’s even more recognizable as the alter egos he utilizes in his films. And while it’s understandably bad news for Cohen fans that he’s decided it’s time to move on to other things, there’s no denying that his talent and comedic skills won’t go to waste. Roles in films like Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables, and, most recently, The Trial of the Chicago 7 have all proved excellent opportunities for Cohen to showcase his abilities beyond the likes of Borat or Bruno. At 49, there’s still plenty of time for Cohen to push himself into new territories and break ground that few could have expected. It’s also worth noting that Cohen has yet to branch out into feature film direction – something that could also prove to be one of his creative strengths.
As disappointing as it is that films like Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm are no longer in Cohen’s wheelhouse, there still might be a glimmer of hope. Obviously, the key to his past undercover films has been secrecy at all costs. There’s always the chance that Cohen could indeed be planning more films like Borat – or even a third film in the series, for that matter. If he was, he would never reveal it beforehand and the manner in which Cohen hesitates at the end of his statement before saying no hints at the possibility that he’s still got something up his sleeve. Only time will tell.
Source: CBS This Morning
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January 23, 2021 at 06:12AM
