Ali G Is Back, and Sacha Baron Cohen Has Things to Say About Donald Trump

Sacha Baron Cohen has brought back Ali G, 20 years after he retired the character. The new film, "Ali G: Who Iz I?", is now showing in cinemas and reaches Amazon Prime on October 30.

Cohen first introduced Ali G to audiences on "Da Ali G Show" at the turn of the century. He spoke about the character's history and about Donald Trump during a live taping of the interview show "Happy Sad Confused" with host Josh Horowitz at New York's 92nd Street Y. Variety reported his remarks.

Cohen said Trump kept him and his crew waiting for about 40 minutes. He also described walking into Trump Tower with director James Bobin and feeling intimidated while Trump shouted expletives at Rudy Giuliani over the phone. Cohen said the shouting was a power move.

The encounter was part of Cohen's 2003 interview with Trump as Ali G. The Associated Press reported in 2020 that Trump appeared briefly on the show that year and walked away from the interview. AP

Cohen's view of Trump is more generous than many expected. On the Pivot podcast with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, he said Trump is amusing and that there is a huge amount of comedy in the way he speaks. He added that people underestimated Trump and were too quick to dismiss him as a nincompoop.

Asked how Trump won a second term in the White House, Cohen said there are "elements of brilliance" to him.

Cohen has returned to the characters before. IndieWire reported in 2024 that he brought back Borat and Ali G for that year's election.

For viewers, the schedule is simple. The film plays in cinemas first, then arrives on Amazon Prime on October 30, shortening the gap that once separated a film's cinema run from its arrival at home.