The Sacha Baron Cohen comedy The Dictator began filming in New York this week. The comedy, which also stars Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley.Cohen's latest big screen venture, The Dictator, is based on a novel entitled Zabibah And The King that is widely rumoured to have been written by one of the most hated men in the world, Saddam Hussein.The first photos to be released from the set show that as usual, there's nothing subtle about his choice of costume. In the pictures taken on Sunday during filming in New York, the actor is seen wearing red, white and blue stars and stripes jacket, trousers and hat emblazoned with the flag of a homeland that he loves to hate.Cohen plays the title role of a man who risked his life to protect the country that he lovingly oppresses.The comic has again teamed up with director Larry Charles, the man behind the camera for Bruno and Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.The Dictator also co stars Anna Faris, Oscar winner Ben Kingsley and Jason Mantzoukas.The book that the film's screenplay is loosely based on is an allegorical romance novel published anonymously in 2000.The CIA believes it was written by ghost writers with the direct influence of Hussein and the simple plot is laden with hidden meanings. The protagonist of the novel is named Arab and the story follows him as he becomes King and rules over Iraq. His love interest is Zabibah, a poor woman in an unhappy marriage who represents the people of Iraq, while her cruel rapist husband symbolizes the United States.Cohen is no stranger to controversy, having been criticised for scenes in Bruno, where he played a flamboyant fashion journalist, which showed him 'adopting' a baby from Malawi - poking fun at Madonna's adoption of baby David Banda.In the scene, Bruno was seen collecting an African baby out of a cardboard box on a airport baggage carousel.He says: 'Angelina's got one, Madonna's got one, now Bruno's got one.' The character also takes the child onto a talk show wearing a 'Gayby' T shirt. He caused so much uproar with the mockumentary, Borat, that he managed to offend the entire country of Kazakhstan where the comedy was based and the Foreign Minister threatened to sue him.Cohen first shot to fame as Ali G, a white man from the suburbs who thought he was an urban gangster. The outrageous role won him a BAFTA in 2001 and was later developed into the hit film, Ali G Indahouse.
Post a Comment