‘Borat’ star Sacha Baron Cohen offers Trump a role in next film: ‘You’ll need a job’
If Donald Trump doesn’t achieve great success in the upcoming presidential election, Sacha Baron Cohen has a new gig lined up for the president.
After Trump called the English comedian an unfunny “phony” and “a creep” in response to his buzzy new mockumentary, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” Baron Cohen had a message for the president on Twitter.
“Donald—I appreciate the free publicity for Borat!” the actor and producer tweeted Saturday. “I admit, I don’t find you funny either. But yet the whole world laughs at you. I’m always looking for people to play racist buffoons, and you’ll need a job after [Inauguration Day on] Jan. 20. Let’s talk!”
On Friday, members of the press on Air Force One asked Trump about “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” which includes a controversial scene involving the president’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani, as well as a sequence that shows Baron Cohen’s Borat wreaking havoc at an event headlined by Vice President Mike Pence.
According to Voice of America’s Steve Herman, reporters wondered if Trump was “worried about security breaches” after additional video showed actress Maria Bakalova — who plays Borat’s daughter in the film — entering the White House and interviewing Donald Trump Jr. while posing as a conservative journalist.
“I don’t know what happened,” Trump told reporters. “But years ago, you know, [Baron Cohen] tried to scam me and I was the only one who said no way. That’s a phony guy and I don’t find him funny.”
“To me, he’s a creep,” he added.
Shortly after the president declared he was above Baron Cohen’s shenanigans, video resurfaced of the comic disguised as another one of his alter egos, Ali G, talking business with an unwitting Trump for a 2003 episode of HBO’s “Da Ali G Show.” That series starred Baron Cohen as three revolving journalist personalities: Ali G, Brüno Gehard and Borat Sagdiyev.
“Me idea is to come out with, just like, these ice cream gloves that make the ice cream not go on your hands and make it all ... sticky and also keep your hands warm when you is eating the ice cream,” Baron Cohen’s Ali G tells Trump. “Is you in or is you in?”
“Well, it sounds like a good idea and I hope you make a lot of money,” Trump replies. “Good luck, folks. It’s been nice seeing you. You take care of yourself.”
Meet Maria Bakalova, the breakout Bulgarian actress who plays Borat’s daughter (and Rudy Giuliani’s interviewer) in the new ‘Borat’ sequel.
Another clip making the internet rounds, of course, is that “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” scene, captured via hidden camera, in which Giuliani places his hand down his pants while alone in a hotel room with Bakalova, who is again pretending to be a conservative journalist.
In reaction to Giuliani’s claims that he was tucking his shirt in and was never “inappropriate” during the encounter, Baron Cohen recently told “Good Morning America,” “It is what it is. He did what he did.”
“If the president’s lawyer found what he did there appropriate behavior, then heaven knows what he’s done with other female journalists in hotel rooms,” Baron Cohen said.
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” has been available to stream as of Friday on Amazon Prime Video.
More to Read
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.