First look at Sacha Baron Cohen as ‘The Dictator’

If you thought Sacha Baron Cohen pushed the envelope with his past creations, think again and then look at him dressed for his new film. This is the first image of the scabrous comedian, 39, in a Saddam Hussein-inspired costume for his new project ‘The Dictator’. And it leaves the disguises of characters like Ali G, Borat and Bruno – who tricked their quarry into hilarious folly – in the shade.
The film tells the story of a Hussein-like dictator who is secretly replaced by a lookalike goat herder and must rebuild his life in New York City. On Sunday, the actor was seen shooting scenes for the film in New York wearing a Stars and Stripes tracksuit, but his look as ‘The Dictator’ has, up until now, been shrouded in secrecy. Umbrellas were utilised to hide the satirical guru from cameras in Manhattan on Thursday. Baron Cohen’s project is inspired by ‘Zabibah and the King,’ a book about an amiable dictator that was revealed to be written by Hussein himself. The British star will play both the dictator and herder, and it’s been announced that ‘Scary Movie’ actress Anna Faris, 34, will play the organic enthusiast who shows him the possibilities of a new life. Baron Cohen has again teamed up with director Larry Charles, the man behind the camera for Bruno and Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. ‘The Dictator’ also co-stars Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley and Jason Mantzoukas. The book that the film’s screenplay is loosely based on is an allegorical romance novel published anonymously in 2000. The CIA believes it was written by ghost-writers with the direct influence of Hussein and the simple plot is laden with hidden meanings. The protagonist of the novel is named Arab (representing Hussein) and the story follows him as he becomes King and rules over Iraq.
His love interest is Zabibah, a poor woman in an unhappy marriage who represents the people of Iraq, while her cruel rapist husband symbolises the United States. Cohen is no stranger to controversy, having been criticised for scenes in ‘Bruno’, where he played a flamboyant fashion journalist, which showed him ‘adopting’ a baby from Malawi – poking fun at Madonna’s adoption of baby David Banda.