Sacha Baron Cohen

Sacha Noam Baron Cohen ( SASH-ə; born 13 October 1971) is an English actor, filmmaker, comedian and anti-racist advocate. Known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Haffaz Aladeen, he has received various accolades, including two British Academy Television Awards and three Golden Globes, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and six Primetime Emmy Awards. For his character work, Baron Cohen has been described as a performance artist.

Baron Cohen graduated from University of Cambridge and trained at École Philippe Gaulier, before finding fame on the late-night television series The 11 O'Clock Show (1998–1999), winning the British Comedy Award for Best Male Newcomer, before creating and starring as his character Ali G in the satirical sketch comedy show Da Ali G Show (2000–2004), for which he received two British Academy Television Awards. He created and starred in the Showtime satirical mockumentary series Who Is America? (2018), for which he earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. He portrayed Eli Cohen in the Netflix limited series The Spy (2019), earning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film nomination, and acted in the Apple TV+ limited series Disclaimer (2024). He starred as Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with the miniseries Ironheart (2025).

Baron Cohen wrote and starred in Borat (2006) and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020), which earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. For his portrayal of Abbie Hoffman in the legal drama The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also wrote, produced and starred in the comedy films Ali G Indahouse (2002), Brüno (2009), The Dictator (2012) and Grimsby (2016) and has acted in drama films such as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Hugo (2011) and Les Misérables (2012).

Baron Cohen voiced King Julien XIII in the Madagascar film series (2005–2012) and Uncle Ugo in Luca (2021). He has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the Actors Branch since 2008.