<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm."</li><li>"<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>" director <keyword id="10068689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jason-woliner">Jason Woliner</keyword> told Insider that the <keyword id="95258" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tom-Hanks">Tom Hanks</keyword> cameo came about after <keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> emailed him out of the blue.</li><li>Luckily, Hanks was game and the scene was shot over one day on a soundstage in Los Angeles just weeks before the movie was delivered to Amazon for its release.</li></ul>There are a lot of surprising and downright shocking moments in "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," and one of the best is when Tom Hanks shows up out of nowhere.At the end of the movie, Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) has a "Usual Suspects"-like epiphany when he realizes his return to America wasn't really to offer his daughter to vice president Mike Pence but to be the one to spread the coronavirus pandemic around the world after he's injected with the virus.We watch as he has flashbacks of his journey by boat around the world before finally getting to the US, pinpointing where he caused infections. That includes Sydney, Australia where we see him encounter Tom Hanks as the global star is taking a selfie with a fan."You the Forrest the Gump!" Borat says to Hanks. The star nods his head and allows Borat to have a picture taken with him. Borat coughs on the actor.Hanks was the <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrities-with-coronavirus-tested-positive-2020-3">first major celebrity to go public</a> that he (and his wife Rita Wilson) got the coronavirus. In March, the two were in Australia while Hanks was shooting a movie.<div type="image" title="Tom Hanks Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="768" width="1366" msid="79725946" hostid="261"></div>"Borat 2" director Jason Woliner <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-director-jason-woliner-interview-rudy-giuliani-secrets-2020-12">told Insider</a> the idea for the Hanks cameo came when they inserted the <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> plot."Once we came up with the idea that Borat would be COVID patient zero, someone had the joke that we see him stop in Sydney and he coughs on Tom Hanks," he said. "Sacha knows him and just sent him an email and we just crossed our fingers that he would be up for it."Hanks was game and the scene was shot over one day on a soundstage in Los Angeles just weeks before the movie was delivered to Amazon for its release. (As it was shot during the pandemic, everyone on set was tested for COVID-19 and the crew all wore masks.)"That was a scene we wanted to be very clear that was scripted and we weren't actually ambushing the most beloved man in America," Woliner said, noting the scene's look that clearly is a green screen of Sydney in the background.And in a fun moment for Woliner, he played the Hanks fan in the scene who is interrupted by Borat."It was surreal," he said. "The closest person I've been next to without a mask on throughout the pandemic, besides my wife, turns out to be Tom Hanks.""Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" is available on Amazon Prime Video.Read more:'<a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-director-sacha-baron-cohen-sequel-a-mistake-2020-12">Borat 2' director explains why he told Sacha Baron Cohen that making a sequel was 'a mistake'</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/every-borat-2-character-ranked-2020-10">Every single character from 'Borat 2,' ranked</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-rudy-giuliani-movie-main-target-2020-12">'Borat 2' director reveals Rudy Giuliani was the film's target from the start of production</a>

'Borat 2' director explains how they pulled off the Tom Hanks cameo

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>" director <keyword id="10068689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jason-woliner">Jason Woliner</keyword> admitted to Insider that when he was told <keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> was making a sequel to his hit comedy, he thought it was a mistake, which he told the star himself.</li><li>"I basically said that 'Borat' is the funniest movie ever made and that it's almost certainly a mistake to do a sequel," he said.</li><li>Baron Cohen appreciated Woliner's honesty and hired him to direct the movie.</li><li>Once inside the writer's room, Woliner realized they might be able to pull it off, after seeing the story's structure. And there was also something he wanted to spotlight about America.</li><li>"It was important for me in this movie to not just be revealing negative qualities of real people," he said.</li></ul>Director Jason Woliner didn't sugar coat his thoughts when Sacha Baron Cohen first approached him about making "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.""I came on very strong," Woliner admitted to Insider. "I basically said that 'Borat' is the funniest movie ever made and that it's almost certainly a mistake to do a sequel."Woliner's scepticism was legitimate. Historically, sequels of classic comedies never work - think the sequels to "Caddyshack," "The Blues Brothers," and "Fletch" just to name a few."I said in almost every version of this it's a disaster," Woliner recalled. "Most comedy sequels aren't good, the long-delayed sequels are extremely tough, and because of the nature of the movie, Borat is one of the most popular comedy characters of the last century so you have to find people who don't know who he is."Instead of being thrown out of the meeting, Woliner said Baron Cohen agreed with everything the director addressed.<div type="image" title="Borat 2 Amazon Studios2" height="1405" width="1874" msid="79723816" hostid="261"></div>"I think he respected that I came in with eyes open that I knew what a daunting task it was," said Woliner.A couple of days after that meeting, Woliner was invited to the "Borat 2" writer's room to see if he could fit in. There he saw the master plan Baron Cohen had laid out - which included the outlandish Kazakhstani journalist now teaming up with his daughter and the movie's main target being the personal attorney of President Donald Trump and former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani (that's right, <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-rudy-giuliani-movie-main-target-2020-12">he was the mark from the start</a>).Woliner said what drew him into the project was the chance to showcase American differently than the original movie."It was important for me in this movie to not just be revealing negative qualities of real people," he said."I remember very early on saying that the big difference to today and 2006 when the first 'Borat' came out is watching someone revealing they are racist is not shocking and compelling as it was back then. I felt what would be more surprising is revealing people's positive qualities and patience.""Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" is available now on Amazon Prime Video.Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/shia-labeouf-sexual-assault-lawsuit-sia-calls-pathological-liar-2020-12">Sia says Shia LaBeouf is a 'pathological liar' who lied about his relationship status amidst lawsuit alleging abusive relationship</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/queens-gambit-wildest-best-interior-design-moments-2020-12"></a><a href="https://www.insider.com/queens-gambit-wildest-best-interior-design-moments-2020-12">Forget Beth Harmon - interior design was the true star of Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit'</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/home-alone-fun-facts-2018-11">20 things you probably didn't know about 'Home Alone'</a>

'Borat 2' director explains why he told Sacha Baron Cohen that making a sequel was 'a mistake'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>" director <keyword id="10068689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jason-woliner">Jason Woliner</keyword> told Insider from the very start of production, it was filmmaker Sascha Baron Cohen's main goal to get <keyword id="324847" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rudy-Giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</keyword> on film.</li><li>"Giuliani was the name from day one," he said. "Rudy was the name in the first version [of the script] I read."</li><li>Woliner said what none of them planned was that Giuliani would have such a high profile when the movie was about to come out.</li><li>He believes the footage of Giuliani in the movie helped to tarnish his credibility when he was trying to push out the claim that Hunter Biden was talking to Ukraine officials back when his father, president-elect Joe Biden, was vice president.</li><li>"From my vantage point, it discredited anything he was trying to do," Woliner said.</li></ul><keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> always seems to wow audiences when it comes to how successful he is in duping high-level politicians and celebrities for his comedy. But he might have hit his zenith with "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," streaming now on Amazon.In the "Borat" sequel, in which Baron Cohen returns to play the misguided Kazakhstani journalist, the movie concludes with him racing to save his daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), who is planning to give herself to president Donald Trump's personal lawyer and former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani.Borat gets there in time, but not before Giuliani seemingly inappropriately touches Tutar and at one point lays down on a bed and puts his hands in his pants while she stands next to him (<a href="https://twitter.com/rudygiuliani/status/1319031305120657410?lang=en">Giuliani claims</a> he was just tucking his shirt into his pants).Giuliani, who was not aware he was being filmed, thought he was showing up to be interviewed about the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic. But in reality, it was the culmination of months of planning to get Giuliani in the movie, which went all the way back to the start of production.<div type="image" title="Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="719" width="958" msid="79696001" hostid="261"></div>"Here's the craziest thing: Giuliani was the name from day one," "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" director Jason Woliner <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-director-jason-woliner-interview-rudy-giuliani-secrets-2020-12">told Insider</a> with a big laugh. "Rudy was the name in the first version [of the script] I read."But what no one had anticipated was that Giuliani would be as prominent in the public eye as he was when the movie was about to premiere."For the year and a half we were making this, he wasn't at the level of prominence he is now," Woliner said. "But suddenly just before this came out, he was trying to make a big splash."Woliner is referring to Giuliani pushing a story that then-presidential nominee Joe Biden's son, Hunter, was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-post-hunter-joe-biden-giuliani-red-flags-disinformation-2020-10">communicating with Ukraine officials back when his dad was vice president</a>. The story turned out to be riddled with disinformation and questioned by many publications, including Insider, and Woliner believes the Giuliani footage in the movie also helped discredit the politician.<div type="image" title="woliner_borat.JPG" height="1917" width="2557" msid="79696004" hostid="261"></div>"A few days later <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/21/rudy-giuliani-faces-questions-after-compromising-scene-in-new-borat-film">The Guardian</a> came out with the piece on his scene in the movie and that just blew up," he said. "And from my vantage point, it discredited anything he was trying to do."Baron Cohen has said that his intention with releasing "Borat 2" around the presidential election was to show Americans what four years of Trump as president has done to the country.So, if Woliner's theory is correct: mission accomplished."Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" is available now on Amazon Prime Video.

'Borat 2' director reveals Rudy Giuliani was the film's target from the start of production

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In his first interview about the film, director <keyword id="10068689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jason-woliner">Jason Woliner</keyword> revealed behind-the-scenes secrets to filming "<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>."</li><li>He told Insider that from the very first script he read, the plan was to get Rudy Giuliani on film.</li><li>Woliner also spoke about how he tried to talk star and filmmaker <keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> out of making a "Borat" sequel the first time they met for fear it might tarnish the legacy of the original.</li><li>The director revealed secrets behind the making of the movie, like the website they created for conservatives Jim and Jerry to find that would lead Borat to Tutar at the gun rally.</li><li>He also said that after the CPAC event scene in which Vice President Mike Pence appeared behind a podium, which was shot with iPhones and DSLR cameras, the secret service looked through their footage to make sure they weren't a threat.</li><li>The Tom Hanks cameo was a one-day shoot that came after Baron Cohen emailed Hanks and asked him if he would be in the movie.</li></ul>We have heard from Sacha Baron Cohen, his amazing costar <a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-maria-bakalova-star-of-borat-2-duped-rudy-giuliani-10">Maria Bakalova</a>, and even some of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/every-borat-2-character-ranked-2020-10">real-life subjects</a> like the <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-babysitter-movie-gofundme-campaign-jeanise-jones-amazon-stream-2020-10">fan-favorite babysitter</a> and bubbly <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-macy-chanel-interview-2020-10">Instagram influencer</a>, but we still not had heard from the director of "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" - until now."I was sent this crazy encrypted link to an outline script," Jason Woliner told Insider in his first-ever interview about the hit film. "I opened it up and the name 'Borat' wasn't in it, but it took me about a page to realize he's probably not making a movie about a journalist from Guatemala named Sergio. I was like, holy s---, he's doing 'Borat 2.'"Woliner, whose previous work includes Adult Swim's "Eagleheart" and Comedy Central's "Nathan for You," signed on as the director soon after reading that script and has been on a whirlwind ride ever since, watching the sequel become as big - perhaps even bigger - than its predecessor.Woliner spoke to Insider about the making of the movie, which included dealing with the secret service, convincing Tom Hanks to make a cameo, and spending the entire production trying to get Rudy Giuliani on film.<div type="image" title="woliner_borat.JPG" height="1917" width="2557" msid="79685561" hostid="261"></div><h2>In his first meeting with Baron Cohen, Woliner tried to talk him out of making a 'Borat' sequel</h2>So where does this journey start for you?I was the first person Sacha called about directing this. I went into the meeting with him and Anthony Hines, who is a writer that's been involved in everything Sasha has done, Monica Levinson the producer, and a few other people. I told him I loved the script, but I came on very strong. I basically said that "Borat" is the funniest movie ever made and that it's almost certainly a mistake to do a sequel.I said in almost every version of this it's a disaster: most comedy sequels aren't good, the long-delayed sequels are extremely tough, and because of the nature of the movie, Borat is one of the most popular comedy characters of the last century so you have to find people who don't know who he is.So you gave them real talk right from the get-go. I don't know why I decided to do that. I just felt feisty that day, but I also gravitate towards projects that seem impossible. If something feels easy why spend two years of your life on it? How did everyone react to this, especially Sacha?Sacha of course was completely aware of all of it and agreed with everything I said. If I had to guess, I think he respected that I came in with eyes open that I knew what a daunting task it was. A couple of days later, I was invited to the writer's room for a week to see if I got along with Sacha and his writing team. It was the entire group of writers from the first movie and a few new ones. Two days in, I was offered the job and I never left.<div type="image" title="borat 2 amazon studios" height="768" width="1366" msid="79685564" hostid="261"></div><h2>The heartfelt scene between Jeanise the babysitter and Borat was not in the original script</h2>Back then, was the whole story laid out in front of you or was it constantly evolving?A little of both. From the very beginning, Sacha had a vision for the kind of overall story and theme of the movie. He wanted to make a movie that got out before the election that throws into focus what America has become under [President Donald] Trump and could make a meaningful impact. But at the same time, [he] also [wanted to] tell a compelling father-daughter story with the new character of Tutar. He had all that from day one.But the details came a thousand times a day. And then it changed in the biggest way when COVID came into the picture. We had to decide, do we stop or push on? But that thought didn't last long because we wanted this out before the election. And also, my big thing was if we do a movie about 2020 and not have the pandemic, it would be like setting a movie in the fall of 2001 and not mentioning 9/11.When COVID-19 hit the country and you halted production, did you have enough then to make a movie if you wanted to?We did not have a full movie when the lockdown began. We started shooting last fall and...we shot in [chronological] order. That's partially for performance reasons. It's great for the actors to track the emotion of the story. But also through the general structure and big ideas, the outline of the movie...always changed from shooting something.How so? It wasn't in the original plan to go back to Jeanise the babysitter at the end of the movie. But after shooting her that first time and falling in love with her, one of the writers had the idea of having Borat go back to her. Then that became the scene where he realizes he loves Tutar. We always knew Borat and Tutar would be separated and he would have to stop her from giving herself up to Rudy. It just became a question of how that happens?Exactly. So the idea came up with the babysitter. And it was important for me in this movie to not just be revealing negative qualities of real people. I remember very early on saying that the big difference to today and 2006 when the first "Borat" came out is watching someone revealing they are racist is not shocking and compelling as it was back then. I felt what would be more surprising is revealing people's positive qualities and patience. So that's what we hoped with Jeanise and she went way beyond. But that was also the case with Jim and Jerry, the lockdown guys. They aren't bad guys, they are just fed bad information.<div type="image" title="Jim and Jerry Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="768" width="1366" msid="79685565" hostid="261"></div><h2>Woliner promises Jim and Jerry were not in on the joke</h2>I'm glad you brought up Jim and Jerry because my theory, and I feel I'm not the only one, is because you are shooting them during the pandemic, they had to have been in on the joke. Just in terms of safety and putting Sacha in that situation where he's with people for multiple days, they had to have known. Right?We had ways to make sure the people didn't know who Borat or Sacha was. It's this long process that's very delicate, but by the time they are on camera, we are certain they don't know. Jim and Jerry knew they were being filmed and we took the proper safety precautions - they were tested for COVID. But I can swear to you they were not in on it.They believed he was a real guy. And once they were living in the house, we pretty much put in robo-cams that are used in "Big Brother"-type shows because we wanted them to just live with him and relax. We just wanted them to be real.<div type="image" title="Woliner_by_CONSTANTIN AELENEI.JPG" height="1388" width="1851" msid="79685567" hostid="261"></div>Where were you?I was living in the house, too. I was in a different bedroom. I slept there. And I would sneak into Sacha's room at night with a writer or two and we would figure out what to do the next day. But for a lot of it, Sacha was on his own with these guys.But there were certain storylines we had to hit. We knew we wanted them to find Tutar on the computer. So that was the kind of thing where we set up a website and engineered it so when they searched for her they would find that site with her video. So they felt they really found her. For that, I was standing just a few feet away, and to watch that moment play out it was like watching a movie in real life. They really cared about Borat and wanted to help him.The only thing you don't see on camera is Jim and Jerry came to me and asked permission to take him to the rally so he could find his daughter. I was like, "Yeah, we can leave the house and do that." Though in reality, we had already been planning to get them to the rally and infiltrating that. Have you heard from Jim and Jerry since? No, I have not. And I haven't seen that anyone has been able to track them down yet. <div type="image" title="rudy giuliani" height="635" width="846" msid="79685568" hostid="261"></div><h2>Rudy Giuliani was the movie's main mark from the beginning</h2>Was going after Giuliani ever on your guys' minds before the pandemic?Here's the craziest thing: Giuliani was the name from day one. [Laughs.] Rudy was the name in the first version I read and what we didn't anticipate was the timing of everything. Rudy became very prominent again just before our movie came out.You're taking about the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-post-hunter-joe-biden-giuliani-red-flags-disinformation-2020-10">Hunter Biden communicating with Ukraine officials</a> story.Yeah. For the year and a half we were making this, he wasn't at the level of prominence he is now. But suddenly just before this came out, he was trying to make a big splash and a few days later <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/21/rudy-giuliani-faces-questions-after-compromising-scene-in-new-borat-film">The Guardian came out</a> with the piece on his scene in the movie and that just blew up. And from my vantage point, it discredited anything he was trying to do. <h2><div type="image" title="Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="632" width="1200" msid="79685569" hostid="261"></div></h2><h2><keyword id="10159589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Maria-Bakalova">Maria Bakalova</keyword> did mock interviews to prepare for her scene with Giuliani</h2>When you do the actual interview with Giuliani, is Maria wearing an ear piece? Did you do mock interviews with her beforehand? How did you get her prepared?We did mock interviews and a lot of rehearsing because you don't know how these things are going to go. So instead of a script, we had a document that had every single scenario we could think up that could happen. "If this happens, you can do this." And we just rehearsed with her a lot of different scenarios the day of. But once she was in there, Maria was on her own. You only rehearsed the day of the interview?Yeah. Once we were back up and running during COVID, the pace was fast. We went to Washington to do the lockdown, then to the rally, and then a few other things before doing Rudy. We didn't have a lot of time between things.In the room, we <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-sacha-baron-cohen-rudy-giuliani-scene-2020-10">built a cubby for Sacha</a> to be in and I was in a nearby room watching and texting with him and figuring out when he should come out and save her. We had a million ideas of how it could go and when he laid down on the bed my jaw hit the floor.<div type="image" title="Melania Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="671" width="1111" msid="79685573" hostid="261"></div><h2>There's more of the Melania Trump animated movie we haven't seen</h2>How did the animation bit come about?It was an idea that came through the course of shooting. One of the writers came up with an idea that Tutar would have a Disney knock-off Melania story that she would watch as a way of showing her character's hopes and dreams. This company Titmouse did it. They did it all while we were filming the movie and they would send us rough versions and we would give notes.There's actually more of that animation. Ultimately only two short clips made it, but there is some more. We've talked about releasing it. <div type="image" title="Tom Hanks Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="768" width="1366" msid="79685578" hostid="261"></div><h2>Sacha Baron Cohen emailed Tom Hanks to be in the movie</h2>How did you get Tom Hanks?[Laughs.] Once we came up with the idea that Borat would be COVID patient zero, someone had the joke that we see him stop in Sydney and he coughs on Tom Hanks. Sacha knows him and just sent him an email and we just crossed our fingers that he would be up for it. He said, "Sure." That was a scene we wanted to be very clear that was scripted and we weren't actually ambushing the most beloved man in America. And actually, I'm in that scene. I'm the guy trying to get the selfie and Borat interrupts.<div type="image" title="Mike Pence Borat 2 Amazon Studios" height="768" width="1024" msid="79685585" hostid="261"></div><h2>Woliner and his crew had to attend five hours of the Conservative Political Action Conference so as not to draw attention, but the secret service still caught them</h2>What was the hardest bit to pull off? The logistics of CPAC was intense. We had to put 12 camera operators in the audience and I had to plan out the [shooting] angles without ever being in the room beforehand. We were the first in line, that's how CPAC is done, you just line up. We lined up at 5 a.m., we didn't have media credentials, we were just attendees. All we had were iPhones and little DSLR 5D cameras. So I had to place all these camera operators in the room in a way so we can get the angles on Pence and angles on where Sacha is going to reveal himself. And then cameras on reaction shots of people. But I had to do that not looking suspicious to the security and secret service. If I'm running around looking like a director I would be caught out. To an outsider, it looks like we're pulling off a heist, but in reality, we're not doing anything illegal.We set it up and then we had to wait five hours. I had to listen to five hours of Republican speeches drumming up hysteria about socialism.And keeping tabs on Sacha who is <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-craziest-things-filming-sacha-baron-cohen-2020-10">in the bathroom</a> this whole time, right?Yeah. We're texting the whole time. I'm on a thread with him and with all the camera operators, and the crew. Sacha comes in wearing a fat suit and a bullet proof vest in case the secret service thinks he's trying to kill the vice president. And he's got his Trump facial prosthetic which takes hours to put on. If the authorities asked him to take off the mask he couldn't just pull it off.<div type="image" title="&quot;Borat 2&quot;" height="1304" width="1738" msid="79685591" hostid="261"></div>This isn't like something out of "Mission: Impossible." He physically couldn't. It's much easier for Tom Cruise to take those heads off than it does in real life. [Laughs.] So because of that we also snuck into CPAC an Oscar-winning prosthetic makeup artist just in case Sacha was apprehended and demanded the face come off she would have the tools to do it.There's so much tension but I was also so bored because I had to listen for hours of the crowd being warned about how Bernie Sanders is going to socialize medicine. And I had to get up and cheer when everyone else did because if I didn't I would draw attention to myself. It was a crazy mix of terror and boredom. Then that night the secret service tracked us down to make sure we weren't a real threat [to the vice president].When did you know that you pulled it off and "Borat 2" may actually live up to the original movie?It was along the way. I remember feeling it was working in my gut after stuff like the debutante ball and the doctor in the crisis pregnancy center. When we had Borat and Tutar together it felt really funny and something we hadn't seen before. The great thing with working with Sacha is he never phoned it in, he was determined to make it as good as it could be and he was definitely aware of the legacy of the first movie. And when we ultimately had to show it through streaming instead of theaters, this felt so necessary just because how dark things had gotten in the world. If you could do a piece of <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="entertainment">entertainment</keyword> that could make tens of millions of people laugh at the same time, even if you're stuck in your home, it felt like the closest thing to me of what the first movie felt like. We were somehow all experiencing this thing together. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The director of 'Borat 2' on dodging the secret service, the Tom Hanks cameo, and why Rudy Giuliani was the mark from day 1 of shooting

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sacha Baron Cohen told The New York Times that he spent five days in his Borat character for the movie's sequel.</li><li>He was living with two conspiracy theorists at the height of the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> pandemic.</li><li>"I was waking up, having breakfast, lunch, dinner, going to sleep as Borat when I lived in a house with these conspiracy theorists," he said. "You can't have a moment out of character."</li></ul>The comedy genius of Sacha Baron Cohen is how far he will go to land a joke or deep-seated point. But he acknowledges one bit he did for the "Borat" sequel was even over the top for him.In Amazon's coming "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bride to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," Cohen has his Borat character move in with two conspiracy theorists during the height of the coronavirus pandemic."I lived in character for five days in this lockdown house," Cohen told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/17/style/sacha-baron-cohen-maureen-dowd-interview.html?action=click&amp;module=Editors%20Picks&amp;pgtype=HomepageHomepage">The New York Times</a>' Maureen Dowd in an interview that ran over the weekend. Cohen called it the hardest thing he had to do for the movie."I was waking up, having breakfast, lunch, dinner, going to sleep as Borat when I lived in a house with these conspiracy theorists," he said. "You can't have a moment out of character."Though this part is sure to be a standout in the movie (a moment is featured in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvPTCvUnNQA">the trailer</a> when Borat tells one of the theorists the coronavirus can be killed by hitting it with a pan), Cohen said he went to great lengths for this part of the movie to show that many people who believed in conspiracy theories were "ordinary folks who are good people, who have just been fed this diet of lies.""They're completely different to the politicians who are motivated by their own power, who realized that they can create fear by spreading these lies," Cohen said."Borat 2," directed by Jason Woliner, is scheduled to be available on Amazon Prime beginning Friday.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JvPTCvUnNQA" frameborder="0"></iframe><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/lovecraft-country-finale-explained-questions-season-one-2020-10">4 major questions we have after the season 1 finale of "Lovecraft Country"</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/all-of-zac-efrons-films-ranked-2019-10">Every single Zac Efron movie, ranked</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/worst-reviewed-movies-last-decade-rotten-tomatoes-critic-reviews-2020-10">The worst reviewed movie each year of the last decade, according to Rotten Tomatoes</a></li></ul>

Sacha Baron Cohen says he spent 5 days in character while living with conspiracy theorists for 'Borat 2'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> said in a Variety profile that <keyword id="324847" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rudy-Giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</keyword> refused a <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> test before doing the fake interview in "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm."</li><li>"There was this debate of what do we do?" Baron Cohen told Variety. "Do we go ahead with this scene? What happens if he has coronavirus? We concluded that it was worth the risk."</li><li>Representatives for Giuliani did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.</li></ul>Sacha Baron Cohen said he and his team had to make a big decision when they finally landed the fake Rudy Giuliani interview for "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm."In a profile on the actor in <a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/sacha-baron-cohen-borat-subsequent-moviefilm-trump-coronavirus-1234878420/">Variety</a>, Baron Cohen revealed that the personal attorney of President Donald Trump refused to take a COVID-19 rapid test before showing up for the interview, which he thought was about the administration's response to the pandemic.Because of that, the now infamous ending to "<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>" almost didn't happen because Giuliani's refusal to be tested went against the safety protocols the movie had in place while filming."There was this debate of what do we do?" Baron Cohen told Variety. "Do we go ahead with this scene? What happens if he has coronavirus? We concluded that it was worth the risk."Representatives for Giuliani did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.<div type="image" title="borat 2 amazon studios" height="1565" width="2784" msid="80138620" hostid="261"></div>Baron Cohen told Variety that they got Giuliani in the room by telling him that the interview was for a documentary called "Keeping America Alive." But in reality, Giuliani was the sequel's main mark through the entire making of the movie."Giuliani was the name from day one," "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" <a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-director-jason-woliner-interview-rudy-giuliani-secrets-2020-12">director Jason Woliner told Insider</a>. "Rudy was the name in the first version I read."The result is the most shocking moment in the movie.As Giuliani coughs and sits close to his interviewer - who was actually actress <keyword id="10159589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Maria-Bakalova">Maria Bakalova</keyword> (Borat's daughter Tutar in the movie) - the scene devolves into the two going into a bedroom inside the hotel suite where the interview took place. There Giuliani is seen touching Bakalova's side and laying on the bed and putting his hands in his pants (<a href="https://twitter.com/rudygiuliani/status/1319031305120657410?lang=en">Giuliani claims</a> he was just tucking his shirt into his pants).The movie certainly dodged a bullet. Five months after doing that interview, Giuliani <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rudy-giuliani-has-tested-positive-for-covid-coronavirus-trump-2020-12">tested positive for COVID-19</a>.Despite the Giuliani scene, "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" took steps to keep everyone on the movie safe while shooting during the pandemic. The producers spent $1 million for testing and PPE, according to Variety.<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/sacha-baron-cohen-borat-subsequent-moviefilm-trump-coronavirus-1234878420/">Read the entire Variety profile on Sacha Baron Cohen.</a>Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/mr-bean-rowan-atkinson-compares-cancel-culture-to-medieval-mob-2021-1">'Mr. Bean' actor Rowan Atkinson compares cancel culture to 'medieval mob looking for someone to burn'</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/cardi-b-kulture-listening-wap-daughter-backlash-response-tweets-2021-1">Cardi B defends her decision to not let 2-year-old daughter Kulture listen to 'WAP': 'I'm a very sexual person but not around my child'</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-actors-took-from-tv-show-sets-2019-4">What 49 actors took from the sets of popular TV shows</a>

Sacha Baron Cohen said Rudy Giuliani refused a COVID test before the infamous fake interview in 'Borat 2'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> gave insight into what happened during the <keyword id="324847" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rudy-Giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</keyword> scene in "<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>" while talking to <keyword id="352115" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stephen-Colbert">Stephen Colbert</keyword> on Monday.</li><li>Cohen told the "Late Show" host that he was hiding in the room when Giuliani's security guard gave a sweep before the interview began.</li><li>The filmmaker also said he only knew what was going on with the interview through text messages, but the phone he was using only had 3% battery life.</li></ul>The stories about how Sacha Baron Cohen was able to <a href="https://www.insider.com/rudy-giuliani-cameo-in-borat-2-involes-seeming-inappropriate-encounter-2020-10">dupe Rudy Giuliani in "Borat 2"</a> just get better and better.In the new mockumentary from Cohen in which he portrays the fictional Kazakh journalist, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer appears to be in an inappropriate encounter with the actress who plays Borat's daughter in the movie, Maria Bakalova. At one point, it even appears that Giuliani has his hands in his pants.On Monday, Cohen told "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert what happened before cameras started rolling."Rudy thought he was alone with her," he told the late night host. "He brought a cop with him, an ex-policeman, and the policeman does a sweep of the entire hotel suite. And I'm obviously running to get in there, jump in the hideaway, lock this thing shut."<a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-sacha-baron-cohen-rudy-giuliani-scene-reaction-2020-10">Cohen explained</a> last week on "Good Morning America" that the movie had to build a "hideaway" inside the hotel suite so he could stay without being detected during the interview between Giuliani and Bakalova, who impersonates a reporter in the scene to meet Giuliani.Continuing on the "Late Show," Cohen added: "And I've got a little internal lock and it's pitch black in there. [His team] does a sweep and then leaves the room and then the security guard sits outside the room ensuring that no one could come in or out, which is actually even more scary when you think about it for her."<div type="image" title="borat 2 amazon studios" height="768" width="1024" msid="78896548" hostid="261"></div>Cohen added that the hiding spot was inside the closet of the suite's bedroom. It was six foot high by three feet wide. The actor was inside that cramped space while Bakalova and Giuliani were in the bedroom together. After Giuliani laid on the bed with his hands in his pants (Giuliani has claimed <a href="https://twitter.com/RudyGiuliani/status/1319031305120657410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1319031305120657410%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insider.com%2Fborat-2-sacha-baron-cohen-rudy-giuliani-scene-reaction-2020-100-10">he was tucking in his shirt</a>), Cohen finally revealed himself dressed in pink lingerie.The filmmaker said while inside the cramped dark hideaway during the filming of the interview he only knew what was going on through text messages that he was receiving from "Borat 2" director Jason Woliner. The only problem was, the phone Cohen was using was close to running out of battery."The interview starts and I switch on the phone and there's only 3% battery," Cohen revealed to a stunned Colbert. "Hold on, we've got Rudy Giuliani. We've got the president's lawyer. We've got this scene — this is the climax of the movie — and no one thought it might be worth charging the phone?""So I managed to keep it on airplane mode and occasionally check in," Cohen said.Watch the entire interview between Colbert and Cohen:<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a1A2N7b4IjY" frameborder="0"></iframe>"Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" is available now on Amazon Prime Video.<h2>Read more about "Borat 2":</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-macy-chanel-interview-2020-10">The Instagram influencer in 'Borat 2' admits she was uncomfortable while filming movie</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-babysitter-movie-gofundme-campaign-jeanise-jones-amazon-stream-2020-10">The 'Borat 2' babysitter says she only made $3,600 for being tricked in the film. Now, she's unemployed and feels 'betrayed.'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-maria-bakalova-star-of-borat-2-duped-rudy-giuliani-10">Everything we know about Maria Bakalova, the 'Borat 2' star who duped Rudy Giuliani</a></li></ul>

Sacha Baron Cohen explains how Rudy Giuliani's scene was filmed in 'Borat 2'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" (aka "<keyword id="10080250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="borat-2">Borat 2</keyword>") is worth the watch if you were a fan of the first one or just need a good laugh.</li><li>In typical <keyword id="59920" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sacha-Baron-Cohen">Sacha Baron Cohen</keyword> fashion, there are huge shocking moments and wild cameos.</li><li>"Borat 2" is available on Amazon Prime beginning Friday.</li></ul>Back in 2006 "Borat: Cultural Leanings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" was, as the title character would say — "Great success!"Sacha Baron Cohen's big screen adaptation of the character he featured on "Da Ali G Show" back in the early 2000s was a cultural phenomenon. Cohen as Borat traveling the US to better understand its customs — and in the process tracking down Pamela Anderson to make her his wife (by trying to put her inside a "marriage sack" and abduct her) — wasn't just a box office hit but made the Borat character instantly recognizable.And the fact that it was done in a documentary style just increased people's fascination as everyone tried to determine who in the movie were in on the joke and who were unknowing pawns in Cohen's unique brand of comedy.<div type="image" title="Borat 2 Amazon Studios3" height="1666" width="2222" msid="78793778" hostid="261"></div>14 years later, Borat has returned. Made with the specific purpose to come out before this year's presidential election, "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bride of American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" (or simply "Borat 2") follows Cohen's Borat as he is tasked with delivering a gift to Vice President Mike Pence, who the Kazhakstani powers-that-be believe is a sex addict.Like the first "Borat," he has a costar to move along the plot. His producer Azamat Bagatov (played by Ken Davitian) isn't around this time, instead, it's Borat's daughter Tutar (Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova). She gives a scene-stealing performance.<h2>Why you should watch: Like the first "Borat," it will be a movie you have to see to believe</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Borat 2 Amazon Studios4" height="1405" width="1874" msid="78793787" hostid="261"></div></h2>The only way "Borat 2" can work is if the bar is higher than the first. This is a hugely daunting task, but Cohen pulls it off leading to moments that you can't believe were possible. By the time you get to the end of the movie, there are some events so shocking that even if you weren't the biggest "Borat" fan, you will be satisfied just for the simple fact that you can say you witnessed it.There are definitely moments in the movie where Cohen goes back to familiar material, especially the bit where the movie intercuts Borat interviewing an etiquette expert with him attempting to use them in real life (something he's done on "Da Ali G Show" and the first "Borat").But even the stuff that feels familiar is done so well that it will entertain the heck out of you and will certainly be "water cooler talk" for weeks to come.<h2>Should you watch the first "Borat" before watching the sequel?</h2>If you are a "Borat" fan: definitely. It's currently available on Amazon Prime. I watched it before the sequel and it solidified for me just how great it is. But you don't need to watch it to enjoy the sequel.Outside of a few jokes, you aren't going to feel you are missing anything. The opening of "Borat 2" pretty much catches up anyone who didn't see the first or forgot it.<div type="image" title="Borat 2 Amazon Studios5" height="1405" width="1874" msid="78793790" hostid="261"></div><h2>Standout performance: Maria Bakalova as Borat's daughter, Tutar.</h2>Because the Borat character (and Cohen himself) is so much more known after the first movie, it's clear Cohen, his writing team, and director Jason Woliner needed to cast someone in a supporting role who was skilled enough to follow through on Cohen's antics without suspicion. And they hit a home run with Maria Bakalova.In typical "Borat" fashion, anyone who is not male, white, and non-Jewish is comically treated like garbage and that includes Borat's daughter, Tutar. When we first meet her she's locked inside a barn and throughout the movie has a "manual" of how to live her life, which includes things like why women are not allowed to drive or pleasure themselves.All this absurdity leads to a subplot in the movie of Tutar's growth into an independent woman that is played perfectly by Bakalova.For those who may feel that it's the same-old Cohen comedy, it will be Bakalova that will keep you engaged in the movie.<h2>The bottom line: If you need a laugh, watch the movie.</h2>If you were a fan of "Borat" or "Who Is America?" then you definitely have to check out "Borat 2." If you love outlandish comedy focused on today's politics you definitely have to check out "Borat 2." If you love surprise cameos you definitely have to check out "Borat 2."The movie, like all of Cohen's comedy, is an acquired taste. But for those who are up for taking the plunge, it's hard to pass up on 90 minutes of this kind of unique comedy.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Rsa4U8mqkw" frameborder="0"></iframe>Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/borat-2-sacha-baron-cohen-stayed-in-character-5-days-2020-10">Sacha Baron Cohen says he spent 5 days in character while living with conspiracy theorists for 'Borat 2'</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/netflix-the-trial-of-the-chicago-7-review-oscars-2020-9">Netflix's 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' is an Oscar-worthy drama with Sacha Baron Cohen's best performance ever</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/sacha-baron-cohen-says-lucky-escape-far-right-rally-borat-2-2020-10">Sacha Baron Cohen said he was 'fortunate to make it out in one piece' after inciting a riot at a far-right rally while making 'Borat 2'</a>

You Searched For "jason woliner" and got 8 results

'Borat 2' director explains how they pulled off the Tom Hanks cameo

Jason Guerrasio

'Borat 2' director explains why he told Sacha Baron Cohen that making a sequel was 'a mistake'

Jason Guerrasio

'Borat 2' director reveals Rudy Giuliani was the film's target from the start of production

Jason Guerrasio

The director of 'Borat 2' on dodging the secret service, the Tom Hanks cameo, and why Rudy Giuliani was the mark from day 1 of shooting

Jason Guerrasio

Sacha Baron Cohen says he spent 5 days in character while living with conspiracy theorists for 'Borat 2'

Jason Guerrasio

Sacha Baron Cohen said Rudy Giuliani refused a COVID test before the infamous fake interview in 'Borat 2'

Jason Guerrasio

Sacha Baron Cohen explains how Rudy Giuliani's scene was filmed in 'Borat 2'

Jason Guerrasio

'Borat 2' is another 'great success' for Sacha Baron Cohen's iconic brand of shock humor

Jason Guerrasio