Rebel Wilson shares one Sacha Baron Cohen wish after memoir furore

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Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Rebel Wilson has shared her one wish over the debacle surrounding Sacha Baron Cohen.

Earlier this year, the Pitch Perfect actor came forward with allegations about the Borat star, whom she claimed mistreated her on the set of 2016 comedy film Grimsby.

Weeks before Isla Fisher announced she was divorcing Cohen after 13 years of marriage, Wilson branded Cohen a “massive a**hole” and accused him of trying to “bully” her into silence over a contentious chapter in her memoir,

The memoir, titled Rebel Rising, detailed allegations of misconduct on the set of 2016 comedy film Grimsby. In the UK edition of the book, the actor’s biggest claims were redacted, which Cohen’s team declared a victory.

Cohen denied all of Wilson’s allegations, with his representatives telling The Independent: “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage, and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of Grimsby.”

Now, Australian actor Wilson is reflecting on the furore her memoir created during an appearance on BBC Radio 4 series Desert Island Discs, addressing the alleged misconduct, which she said left her feeling “degraded”.

“That was the worst professional experience and that was where it crossed the line,” Wilson told host Lauren Laverne of her experience, saying she went public with the allegations “in one way to release the shame that I had sustained in a situation that wasn’t great”.

While Wilson said she “reported it... at the time”, adding that “nothing really happened”, she said she wishes she had either stood up to Cohen or quit the project altogether.

“I stayed in a situation and had things said to me and stuff that I should have left,” she said. “The me now would be strong enough, but back then I just didn’t have enough self-esteem to leave and I thought I’d be labelled as unprofessional if I left.”

Reflecting on the impact of her memoir, Wilson said: “If it can help a few people out there then it’s worth it.”

In May, Wilson addressed the timing of Cohen and Fisher’s divorce announcement and suggested she was no longer friends with the latter, with whom she starred in the 2012 film Bachelorette.

The actor said she does not think the couple’s divorce had anything to do with her claims, but she did say the “timing wasn’t great for” Cohen.

“I don’t feel like I’m the reason, but it might have just been his general treatment to women,” she told The Kyle & Jackie O Show on 8 May.