Sacha Baron Cohen has brought back one of his most recognisable comedy characters, Ali G, for the premiere of his new film Who Iz I in Los Angeles, as controversy continues to build over the character’s return.
The 54-year-old comedian appeared on the red carpet on Wednesday in Ali G’s signature yellow outfit, reviving the look that helped establish the character as a cultural talking point in British comedy.
He was joined by actress Morgana Robinson, 44, who plays Ali G’s girlfriend, Julie, also known as “Me Julie”. Robinson embraced the role with a skin-tight bodysuit, towering heels and space buns, recreating the character’s distinctive style for the event.
The pair continued their performance on the red carpet and on stage, with Robinson drawing attention through her bold outfit and animated poses.
Morgana Robinson Takes Over the Role of Me Julie
Robinson’s appearance marks a new chapter for Julie, who was played by EastEnders actress Kellie Bright in the original 2002 film, Ali G Indahouse.
Bright’s version of the character became closely associated with Ali G’s exaggerated street persona. The same year, Baron Cohen released the song “Me Julie” with Jamaican musician Shaggy, further cementing the character’s place in popular culture.
With Robinson now stepping into the role, the upcoming film revisits a familiar part of Ali G’s world while introducing the character to a new generation of viewers.
The premiere’s deliberately exaggerated styling reflects the irreverent approach that has long defined Baron Cohen’s comedy.
New Ali G Film Faces Campaign for Cinema Ban
Despite the excitement surrounding the character’s comeback, Who Iz I has attracted criticism from campaigners who argue that Ali G’s humour reinforces racist stereotypes.
The Amazon MGM production is scheduled to open in cinemas on 23 October 2026. However, opposition intensified after the film’s trailer was released in August.
The following day, UK news comparison and media monitoring platform NewsCord launched a campaign calling on cinemas around the world to refuse to screen the movie. The group said it had contacted 15 major cinema chains internationally on behalf of people registering their support.
At the time of publication, the campaign had attracted 44,946 supporters, according to the supplied report.
Campaigners have revived longstanding arguments about whether Ali G’s portrayal of Black British street culture challenges prejudice through satire or allows audiences to laugh at racial stereotypes under the cover of comedy.
The debate is not new. NewsCord’s campaign references criticism published in The Guardian in January 2000, when Black British comedians questioned the character’s cultural impact.
Among the views cited was comedian Felix Dexter’s argument that Ali G allowed liberal audiences to mock Black street culture while maintaining their sense of political correctness. Writer Jeanette Winterson also questioned the character’s distinction from earlier minstrel-style entertainment.
UK Cinema Association Rejects Calls for Censorship
The campaign has prompted a wider discussion about the responsibilities of cinemas when faced with demands to withdraw a film over its content.
Phil Clapp, head of the UK Cinema Association, told Variety that cinemas exist to entertain and engage a broad audience rather than act as censors or decide what the public should watch.
He explained that when a film has received a classification from the British Board of Film Classification, individual cinemas make their own screening decisions based on the likely response of their audiences.
His comments underline the distinction between a campaign urging cinemas to reject a release and a formal decision preventing a film from being shown.
Baron Cohen has also responded defiantly to the backlash. In a post on X, he joked that, in an era when a comedian’s career could be ended by a single politically incorrect joke, bringing Ali G back was his way of playing it safe.
The remark appears to lean into the controversy surrounding the character rather than signal any intention to change his approach.
Confusion Over Whether Picturehouse Will Screen the Film
Reports surrounding the campaign have also raised questions about the release’s prospects at UK cinemas.
Picturehouse was reported to have responded to the campaign by indicating that its venues would not screen the film. However, Variety subsequently reported that the email in question was a standard response to enquiries about films that had not yet been booked and were not listed on the company’s schedule.
According to that report, the correspondence did not represent a final decision on whether Picturehouse would show Who Iz I.
The distinction is significant because the campaign’s supporters have been seeking a clear refusal from major cinema operators, while the available information does not establish that Picturehouse has formally ruled out the film.
With the release date approaching, the debate over the film’s availability and the character’s legacy remains unresolved.
What Is the Story Behind Who Iz I?
Baron Cohen reportedly filmed Who Iz I in secret over the course of a year. The mockumentary follows Ali G’s life after the world has “gone to c**p”, alongside his pregnant girlfriend.
The film represents a return to a character who first appeared on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998, where Ali G was presented as a supposed voice of young people.
The character later became the centre of Da Ali G Show, which helped build Baron Cohen’s international profile, before making the transition to the big screen in Ali G Indahouse in 2002.
Baron Cohen announced in a 2007 interview with The Daily Telegraph that he had retired the character. Ali G subsequently returned at the 2012 British Comedy Awards, where he appeared to accept Baron Cohen’s Outstanding Achievement Award.
In 2014, the character returned to television in Ali G Rezurection, a programme combining newly filmed material with highlights from Da Ali G Show.
More recently, Baron Cohen surprised spectators at Wimbledon in July by appearing in Ali G’s familiar tracksuit, sunglasses and jewellery, offering an early hint that the character was coming back.
Ali G’s Return Reopens a Long-Running Comedy Debate
The release of Who Iz I places Baron Cohen’s best-known creation at the centre of a renewed argument about satire, race and the limits of comedy.
Supporters of provocative humour may see Ali G as a deliberately absurd character designed to expose ignorance and prejudice. Critics, meanwhile, argue that the joke can come at the expense of the communities being represented.
The film’s premiere has demonstrated that Ali G remains capable of generating attention decades after his television debut. Whether the controversy translates into cinema boycotts, wider public debate or commercial success remains to be seen.
With the film due in cinemas on 23 October, audiences will soon have an opportunity to judge the new production for themselves, while the argument over the character’s legacy continues.
