Booyakasha on Highland Avenue, Sacha Baron Cohen Premieres Ali G Who Iz I in Character
Sacha Baron Cohen brought Ali G to the Hollywood Legion Theater for the world premiere of his directing debut, which opens October 23.
Sacha Baron Cohen did not walk the red carpet on Wednesday night, October 14. Ali G did. The comedian arrived in character at the Hollywood Legion Theater for the world premiere of Amazon MGM Studios’ Ali G Who Iz I, Variety reported. The Hollywood Reporter also noted that he attended the Los Angeles premiere as the character.
He had company. Co-star Morgana Robinson also stayed in character as Julie, Ali G’s girlfriend, Just Jared reported.
The film is Baron Cohen’s first feature as a director. He shot it in secret, the way he made his Borat films, and announced it in July with an Instagram video in full Ali G voice. “Dey haz finally made a documentary about me,” he wrote, according to Variety. Amazon MGM opens it in theaters on Friday, October 23, and Deadline reports the release is global. The box office tracker The Numbers) lists an R rating and an 89 minute running time.
The character goes back to 1998 and Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show, then to Da Ali G Show and the 2002 film Ali G Indahouse. The new film reunites Baron Cohen with Amazon MGM after Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which Deadline notes earned two Oscar nominations.
The Legion Theater sits inside Hollywood Post 43 of the American Legion, a memorial clubhouse on Highland Avenue that opened in 1929. October has kept the city’s premiere circuit busy, from Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington in Westwood to this week’s Ali G night.
The film opens Friday, October 23. Los Angeles showtimes and tickets are listed on Atom Tickets.
