Sacha Baron Cohen

Da Ali G Show also included segments from two of Baron Cohen's other characters. Bruno, an Austrian fashion reporter from a fictional program called Gay TV, frequently put homophobic guests on the spot, while misogynistic Kazakhstani immigrant Borat showcased his flagrant anti-Semitism to clueless interviewees who, failing to catch onto the satirical nature of the show, would either join him in his bigoted beliefs or try to explain American values to him. Controversy surrounded all three of Baron Cohen's characters, as critics blasted him for endorsing racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia. HBO, which aired Da Ali G Show, insisted that all of the show's characters were meant to make fun of the prejudiced and ignorant, not the persecuted. It has also been noted that Baron Cohen himself is Jewish and comes from a very religious background.

In 2005, he lent his vocal talents to the animated film Madagascar, marking a departure from his Ali G Show characters that he would cement in 2006 with a role in the Will Ferrell comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as a flamboyant French Formula 1 driver who challenges Ferrell's NASCAR supremacy. A comedy match made in stock-car heaven, the summer release was the perfect chance for the comedian to try his hand at ensemble work, but he was soon growing his mustache out to reprise his Kazakhstani alter ego for the feature film Borat. Though followed by the usual controversy from those who misunderstood Baron Cohen's style, the film began generating buzz when it earned massive praise at ~Cannes, and despite beginning with a relatively small core audience, became the talk of Hollywood as perhaps the most innovative form of comedy to grace the screen in years. Baron Cohen took home a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy for his performance, and quickly became a household name in the States.

Looking ahead, Baron Cohen signed on to star in a big screen version of another character of his creation, the ever-fabulous Bruno, which garnered him headlines when he was arrested for crashing a fashion show in Milan. ~ Cammila Albertson