Sacha Baron Cohen as The Dictator
The Background
Sacha Baron Cohen has been on a publicity blitz ahead of the release of new comedy The Dictator. Appearing in character as General Admiral Aladeen, former leader of fictional North African country the Republic of Wadiya, the actor has been thrown off the red carpet at the Oscars while carrying ‘Kim Jong-il’s ashes’, kidnapped director Martin Scorsese and offered support to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney while surrounded by 25 machine-gun-toting ‘virgins’.
Cinema-goers will have to wait until 16 May to see if the film lives up to the considerable hype. But until then, the 2012 trailer gives an insight into what to expect from the creator of Ali G, Borat and Brüno. Baron Cohen’s dictator is stripped of his beard, his power and his identity during a state visit to the US – but does find time to deliver a baby.
