How Rebel Wilson called Sacha Baron Cohen sex scene the ‘most disgusting thing ever’ nine years before sparking legal battle by branding him an ‘a**hole’ in ‘demonstrably false’ book
Rebel Wilson branded her sex scene with Sacha Baron Cohen ‘the most disgusting thing ever’, nine years before calling the star an ‘a**hole’ in her new memoir.
The Australian actress, 44, starred opposite the British prankster, 52, in 2016’s Grimsby, in which they filmed a sex scene together, leading to her shocked comment.
While promoting the film in 2015, Rebel told news.com.au: “I had a sex scene with Sacha Baron Cohen and it was just the most disgusting thing ever.”
Nearly a decade after the shocking comment, Rebel named Sacha the celebrity responsible for making threats about her unqualified memoir, Rebel Rising, after which his representatives on Monday labeled her statements as “demonstrably false.”
Rebel took to Instagram on Sunday to confirm the star’s identity, writing: ‘I will not be silenced by expensive lawyers or PR crisis managers. The *** I talk about in ONE CHAPTER of my book is: Sacha Baron Cohen.’
Rebel Wilson called her sex scene with Sacha Baron Cohen ‘the most disgusting thing ever’, nine years before calling the star an ‘a**hole’ in her new memoir (pictured during the 2014 film Grimsby)
The Australian actress, 44, starred opposite the British prankster, 52, in 2016’s Grimsby, in which they filmed a sex scene together – which led to her shocking comments at the time
In the wake of her statement, Sacha spoke out to TMZ through representatives, saying, “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence…
‘(With) contemporaneous documents, film footage and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of The Brothers Grimsby.’
As well as her shocking comments about the ‘disgusting’ sex scene in Grimsby, in an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly at the time, the Pitch Perfect star also lambasted her burqa-wearing character Dawn in one scene.
She emphasized at the time that the scenes were all in the name of comedy: “Clearly I mean no offense to Muslims. I asked my Muslim friend, “Do you think this is okay, to tell the joke we are telling?” And she said yes.
She added, “But she’s pretty liberal and lives in New York, so who knows? But it’s a joke and no offense intended.”
Rebel’s post came just two days after the Pitch Perfect star claimed a celebrity she once worked with threatened her over the publication of the memoir.
She said: ‘I wrote about a hole in my book. Now, said a***** is trying to threaten me. He has hired a PR crisis manager and lawyers. He’s trying to prevent the press from reporting my book. But the book WILL be published and you will all know about it.’
In an Instagram video shared on March 15, Wilson revealed that she dedicated a chapter in her book to the “huge a**hole” she worked with in Hollywood.
Rebel took to Instagram on Sunday to confirm the star’s identity, writing: ‘I will not be silenced by expensive lawyers or PR crisis managers. The ****** I talk about in ONE CHAPTER of my book is: Sacha Baron Cohen’
The post came two days after the Pitch Perfect star claimed a celebrity she had worked with threatened her over the publication of the memoir.
The Pitch Perfect star also claimed that she would eventually name the male colleague, whose alleged behavior prompted her to adopt a ‘no a**holes policy’ on set.
She wrote: ‘When I first came to Hollywood, people were like, “Yes, I have a no-a**holes policy, which means I don’t work with a**holes.” I thought, “Yeah, I mean, that makes sense and makes sense.”
‘But then it really dawned on them what they meant by that, older people in the industry. Because I was working with a huge gap, and yes, now I definitely have a no gap policy.
“Chapter one said: a**hole. It’s chapter 23, that guy was a huge asshole.”
She added, “You want to know who is the biggest motherfucker I’ve ever worked with in Hollywood? Chapter 23 sums it all up! Want to know why I now have a ‘no a**holes’ policy with the people I work with?
‘I wrote about a hole in my book. Now, said a***** is trying to threaten me. He has hired a PR crisis manager and lawyers.
‘Well, it’s all in the book: REBEL RISING is now available for pre-order (dropping April 2, link in bio)… oh and YES, I’m calling the hole!’
Rebel and Sacha played together in Grimsby alongside Mark Strong, Gabourey Sidibe and Isla Fisher – Cohen’s wife of 14 years.
In the wake of her statement, Sacha spoke to TMZ through representatives, saying, “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence.”
Wilson and Cohen’s wife Isla Fisher previously starred in the 2012 film Bachelorette
The creator of Ali G plays reformed football hooligan Norman ‘Nobby’ Grimsby who is forced to go on the run with his brother, a friendly secret agent played by Strong.
Rebel plays his on-screen love interest Dawn, while his real-life love and fellow Australian actress Isla plays Jodie Figgs.
The film was criticized by critics and currently receives a poor rating from 34 percent of the most prestigious reviewers surveyed by Rotten Tomatoes.
The film was also a disappointment at the box office, as it only grossed about $28 million against a $35 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
Speaking in 2016, Sacha opened up about casting Rebel as his love interest in the comedy, instead of his wife and co-star Isla.
Cohen, dressed in character, and wife Fisher attend the 2016 world premiere of Grimsby
Appearing on Network 10’s The Project, he joked that his decision to cast the funny woman was simply because “there’s trouble at home.”
He added: ‘The studio is putting a lot of pressure on Rebel to time the child to coincide with the film’s release. I think it’s unfair because she’s only five months old.”
Sacha added that he and Rebel were currently working on a solution, saying: ‘To end this dilemma she has to decide whether she wants to have this (baby) premmie (premature) and make the studio happy or leave him there until it is full. term.’
DailyMail.com has contacted Cohen’s representatives for further comment.