Reflecting on her negative experience working with her The Brothers Grimsby co-star Sacha Baron Cohen, Rebel Wilson admitted she was scared after the actor told her to do one inappropriate thing on set.
In her new memoir Rebel Rising, Wilson opened up about working with Baron Cohen. Although she pointed out she was “not about canceling anybody,” she felt that it was necessary to speak out about the Borat star.
“It felt like every time I’d speak to SBC, he’d mention that he wanted me to go naked in a future scene,” Rebel Wilson shared about Sacha Baron Cohen, per an excerpt obtained by PEOPLE. “I was like, ‘Ha, I don’t do nudity, Sacha.’”
Things took a really bad turn when Baron Cohen pushed for an additional scene. “SBC summons me via a production assistant saying that I’m needed to film an additional scene.’
“‘Okay, well, we’re gonna film this extra scene,’ SBC says. Then he pulls his pants down … SBC says very matter-of-factly: ‘Okay, now I want you to stick your finger up my ass.’ And I’m like, ‘What?? … No!!’”
Rebel Wilson pointed out at that point she was growing scared of Sacha Baron Cohen. “I wanted to get out of there,” she admitted. “So I finally compromised. I slapped him on the ass and improvised a few lines as the character.”
Rebel Wilson Revealed She Mentioned Sacha Baron Cohen in Her New Book, Accused Him of Threatening Her
Wilson previously announced that she wrote about Baron Cohen in her new book. She referred to him as a “a—hole.”
“I wrote about an a—hole in my book,” Rebel Wilson stated in an Instagram Story post. “Now, said a—hole is trying to threaten me.”
Rebel Wilson also accused Sacha Baron Cohen of threatening her by mentioning him in her book. “He is trying to stop press coming out about my book. But the book WILL come out, and you will know the truth.”
Wilson continued to declare who was allegedly threatening her. “I will not be bullied or silenced by high priced lawyers or PR crisis managers,” she said. “The ‘a—hole’ that I am talking about in ONE CHAPTER of my book is: Sacha Baron Cohen.”
However, Baron Cohen has since denied the allegations from Wilson. His rep revealed in a statement, “While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence,” the statement reads.
“Including contemporaneous documents, film footage and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of The Brothers Grimsby.”
A producer of the film also shared that the script had Wilson’s character attempting to stick a finger up his butt. “At no point did Sacha actually ask her to put a finger in his butt,” the producer explained.
“Throughout this entire period, she was treated with the utmost respect and empowerment and was welcomed as a collaborator in all creative areas.”
Wilson further wrote in her book that she ended up calling her agent and speaking to a lawyer about the situation. “I was encouraged to ‘be professional and finish the film,” she wrote. “[After that] my way of dealing with it at that point was to try to laugh it off.”