Sacha Baron Cohen resurrects his character Borat in the second trailer for his upcoming directorial debut, Ali G: Who Iz I?, using the character to deflect accusations that the mockumentary enforces racist stereotypes following a call for a boycott by media monitoring platform Newscord.
The film, which resurrects the poser character after 20 years, heads to theaters on Oct. 23. Over the summer, Baron Cohen teased the character’s return by showing up to the Wimbledon finals in character to sell weed during the match.
The Bottom Line
- Sacha Baron Cohen makes his directorial debut in Ali G: Who Iz I?, scheduled for a theatrical release on Oct. 23.
- The AI-powered media monitoring platform Newscord called for a boycott of the film, accusing Baron Cohen of using satire to cover up racist stereotypes.
- The second trailer features Borat defending the film via a “Special Announcement” from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Information, alongside a return of Who Is America? character Colonel Erran Morad.
Borat Addresses Newscord Boycott Accusations in Trailer
In the second trailer for Ali G: Who Iz I?, Borat appears in a segment presented as a “Special Announcement” from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Information. Addressing the backlash directly, Borat issues what is framed as a “grave warning” about the mockumentary.
“There have been reportings that this film is racist. We have seen it and sadly it is not,” Borat deadpans in the clip. It remains unclear whether the character actually appears within the narrative of the film itself or serves strictly as a promotional device for the marketing campaign.
The appearance comes in direct response to Newscord. The AI-powered media monitoring platform publicly called for a boycott of Baron Cohen’s latest endeavor, accusing Baron Cohen of using satire as a cover for enforcing racist stereotypes.
Colonel Erran Morad Joins the Promotional Rollout
Borat is not the only former character resurrected by Baron Cohen to promote the upcoming theatrical release. The second trailer also features Colonel Erran Morad, a persona previously introduced in the television series Who Is America?.
In the new footage, Morad appears to spearhead a training program aimed at immigrant-fearing MAGA folks. The integration of Morad alongside Borat follows Baron Cohen’s promotional appearance at the Wimbledon finals over the summer.
| Character Revived | Original Project | Promotional Context |
|---|---|---|
| Borat | Various | “Special Announcement” trailer defending the film against boycott calls |
| Colonel Erran Morad | Who Is America? | Trailer footage leading a training program |
Ali G: Who Iz I? is slated to arrive in movie theaters on Oct. 23.
