Why the ‘Borat’ director no longer speaks to Sacha Baron Cohen

In a recent interview, Borat director Larry Charles revealed that he has lost touch with longtime collaborator Sacha Baron Cohen, with whom he once shared a strong creative partnership. Charles, who worked closely with Cohen on hits like Borat and Brüno, referred to the comedian as a “comic genius” and even likened him to legends like Charlie Chaplin and Peter Sellers. However, their dynamic began to shift during the making of their 2012 film The Dictator.

Why is Larry Charles no more in touch with Sacha Baron Cohen?

According to Charles, Cohen started to drift away from the bold, character-driven satire that defined his earlier work. He noted that Cohen seemed to be aiming for a more mainstream Hollywood image, surrounding himself with traditional industry voices that Charles believes steered him in the wrong direction. “He was getting advice from people who didn’t understand the rebellious spirit that made Sacha’s work so unique,” Charles said.

Charles described The Dictator as a troubled project from the outset. While he initially envisioned the film as a sharp political satire in the spirit of Dr. Strangelove, the final product fell short of that ambition. He attributed the issues to conflicting external input and Cohen’s own wavering creative focus.

“There were just too many people involved, each with their own opinions, and not enough trust in instinct,” he said. Despite the setbacks, Charles acknowledged that The Dictator still had its moments of comedy but lacked the impact of their previous collaborations. The director expressed disappointment over how the creative process unraveled and how their once-strong bond faded.

“I always urged Sacha to trust himself and his instincts because that’s really all you have as a creator,” Charles reflected. “But when you start relying on too many voices, things get complicated, and that’s exactly what happened.” As a result, the once dynamic duo drifted apart, ending a collaboration that brought some of the most iconic satirical characters to the screen.