Rebel Wilson named actor Sacha Baron Cohen as someone she accuses of trying to stop the release of her memoir, and now the actor has responded.
“She will not be bullied or silenced by expensive lawyers or PR crisis managers. The ‘(expletive)’ I talk about in a chapter of my book,” the Australian actress said in an Instagram Story posted on Monday. That is: Sacha “Baron Cohen.”
Cohen, 52, said Wilson’s claims were “categorically false,” according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Cohen’s representative said, “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these patently false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including The Brothers Grimsby, before, during, and after the production of “Contains contemporary documents, film footage and eyewitness accounts from those present.” in a statement to USA TODAY on Monday.
In an Instagram video posted on March 15, Wilson, 44, discussed her policy on working with other stars in Hollywood.
“When I first came to Hollywood, people were like, ‘Yeah, I have a no (expletive) policy,'” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh yes. I mean, it seems sensible or logical.’ But then it really sank in because I worked with a massive (expletive).”
Wilson’s memoir, Rebel Rising, is set for release on April 2.
The “Pitch Perfect” star and Cohen previously worked together in the 2016 film “The Brothers Grimsby,” in which Cohen played Nobby and Wilson played Don Grobham. Cohen produced and wrote the film.
In a 2016 Marie Claire UK interview, Wilson said that Cohen wanted a “full-frontal nudity” scene in the film, which she rejected.
“We specifically write in the contract, ‘No nudity.’ They got another girl – this big burlesque dancer from South Africa – to be a naked double,” he said at the time. “And they made her do all this stuff. Sacha would say, ‘Look, she looks good.’ I feel like, I’m not doing it. “I don’t care what you say.”
He added, “You want to know that the people (behind the camera) have a certain sensitivity and decency. And in comedy, a lot of times they’re not those people.”
According to US Weekly and Variety, in a 2014 radio interview with The Kyle & Jackie O Show, Wilson said that Cohen made another request to be in the final scene of the film which he again rejected.
“He was like, ‘Rebel can you put your finger in my butt?’ And I said, ‘What do you mean Sacha? It’s not in the script.’ And he said, ‘Look, I’ll just pull my pants down, you just put your finger in my butt, it’ll be really fun,'” she said.
Cohen, best known for producing, writing and starring in the “Borat” and “Bruno” films, has often been a controversial figure in comedy, though his films have garnered praise in the industry.
Cohen played conservative Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiev in the Oscar-nominated 2006 film and revived the character for its 2020 sequel “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”, which was nominated for multiple Golden Globe Awards. The latter film included a controversial Rudy Giuliani scene where Donald Trump’s lawyer was caught in a suspicious situation with actress Maria Bakalova. In 2021, Cohen said he was retiring his character again – because “it has become too dangerous.”
Wilson is best known for her breakout roles in 2011’s “Bridesmaids” and the “Pitch Perfect” franchise. The comedic actress has also been open about her diet and fitness journey, saying in January that she had gained 30 pounds due to stress from her busy schedule, which includes working on new movies and her memoir.
“It makes me feel bad about myself…it shouldn’t happen…but it does,” Wilson wrote. “It’s become too much and I’ve lost focus on my healthy lifestyle.”
Contributed by: Jay Stahl and Sydney Henderson
