In a recent conversation at the 92NY in New York City, actor Sacha Baron Cohen shared insights into the production challenges faced while filming his 2012 comedy, “The Dictator.” During the discussion with Josh Horowitz, Cohen revealed that his team was unable to secure filming permission at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, an obstacle that ultimately cost the production an extra £15 million.
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Cohen, who took on the role of Admiral General Aladeen in “The Dictator,” explained that his crew met with officials from the UN’s protocol committee to seek approval for a scene to be filmed in the General Assembly. Despite initial interest, the UN committee ultimately denied the request after reviewing the film’s script. “They read the whole thing,” Cohen recounted, “and eventually they came back, and they said, ‘You are not allowed to shoot inside the United Nations.’”
The reason given for this refusal was particularly striking; Cohen claimed the UN described the movie as being “anti-dictatorship.” The actor noted the irony of this stance, highlighting that the organisation serves both dictatorships and democracies and therefore opts to remain neutral. “We’re like, ‘What?’” Cohen said, recalling the incredulity he felt upon hearing their rationale. “They said, ‘We don’t really take a side.’”
Faced with this setback, the production team made the decision to recreate the General Assembly set, which significantly inflating their budget. Cohen disclosed that this unexpected turn of events added approximately £15 million to the overall costs of producing “The Dictator.”
The United Nations has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Cohen’s statements, which have reignited discussions about the intersection of film, politics, and diplomacy. The incident underscores the complexities filmmakers often encounter when attempting to depict sensitive political themes, especially within institutions of global governance.
Meanwhile, Cohen’s conversation with Horowitz was not solely focused on “The Dictator.” He also took the opportunity to discuss his upcoming film, “Ali G: Who Iz I?”, in which he revives one of his most famous characters. In a cover essay for Time, the comedian explained that the decision to bring back Ali G was influenced by the troubling state of the world today.
Cohen noted, “The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him. The world he’s returned to is, in many ways, worse than the one he left 20 years ago.” He elaborated on how the prejudices his characters are designed to expose have not only persisted but have significantly compounded over the years.
First introduced nearly two decades ago via Channel 4 and HBO’s “Da Ali G Show,” Ali G has continued to make appearances, including a notable moment at the 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards alongside another of Cohen’s infamous personas, Borat.
The release of “Ali G: Who Iz I?” marks Cohen’s feature directorial debut, a project in which he took on multiple roles, including co-writing, directing, producing, and starring. It is currently showing in theatres and reflects Cohen’s ongoing commitment to pushing boundaries with his provocative comedic style.
As discussions about the intersections of comedy and contemporary issues continue to evolve, Cohen’s experiences with “The Dictator” serve as a reminder of the challenges faced by artists in addressing relevant social and political themes, especially within the confines of powerful institutions like the UN.