Sacha Baron Cohen says he wishes he’d ‘not become famous’ as himself

‘Ali G, the character, was huge... But me, Sacha, I was unknown, and it was just fantastic,’ actor said

Sacha Baron Cohen has said he wishes he didn’t become famous as himself, once preferring to only give interviews while in character.

The British actor and comedian, whose characters include Ali G and Borat, revealed that the “most fun” period of his career was when he was able to be relatively anonymous.

“I had never wanted to give any interviews as myself,” he told NPR. “And I had a fantastic period in England where Ali G… was a phenomenon. Ali G, the character, was huge. It was incredibly famous... But me, Sacha, I was unknown, and it was just fantastic. I was able to go on the tube. I was able to have all the benefits of fame and not be famous. So I wanted to continue that, and also it helped my work.”

He continued: “I realised that if I became famous as myself, it would make making my work almost impossible... I wish I could have carried on like that and not become famous as myself. There are great benefits to fame in that you can speak to people who [you] shouldn’t be able to speak to. People will take your call... Some people love getting recognised and love the attention. I don’t love it. I loved that period where the shows were really successful but nobody knew who I was.”

Cohen, who is drawing Oscar buzz for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, has become more prolific as himself in recent years.

Read more: Sacha Baron Cohen made Borat 2 because he ‘felt democracy was in peril’

The British actor and comedian regularly gives interviews out of character, and has become an outspoken critic of government corruption and social media corporations.

In January, Cohen said that he made the Borat sequel as he was felt “democracy was in peril”.