Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher, one of Hollywood's most prominent couples, have announced their divorce after more than 20 years together. The announcement, made via joint Instagram posts on Friday, April 5, comes just weeks after actress Rebel Wilson made allegations about Cohen's behavior on the set of the 2016 comedy "Grimsby."
In their statement, the "Borat" star and the "Wedding Crashers" actor, who married in 2010, likened their relationship to a "long tennis match lasting over twenty years," before revealing that they had "jointly filed to end [their] marriage" in 2023. The couple, who met at a party in Sydney in 2001 and became engaged in 2004, have three children together: a 16-year-old daughter, a 13-year-old daughter, and a 7-year-old son.
The timing of the divorce announcement has raised eyebrows, as it follows closely on the heels of Wilson's claims that Cohen was a "massive a**hole" and had tried to "bully" her into silence over a contentious chapter in her memoir. Wilson alleged that she struggled with Cohen, 52, on the set of "Grimsby," accusations that the actor has vehemently denied.
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher have announced their divorce after 14 years of marriage and more than 20 years of dating.
The two actors shared the news on their Instagram Stories on yesterday pic.twitter.com/JAZxGnKXp3 — Naija (@Naija_PR) April 6, 2024
Cohen's representatives told The Independent, "While we appreciate the importance of speaking out, these demonstrably false claims are directly contradicted by extensive detailed evidence, including contemporaneous documents, film footage, and eyewitness accounts from those present before, during and after the production of Grimsby."
Sources close to the couple have offered conflicting accounts of whether Wilson's allegations played a role in the timing of the divorce announcement. While one source told The Sun that the headlines were the "catalyst" in their decision to share the news, claiming Fisher was "starting to get embarrassed" by the claims, US Weekly reported that there was no link and the divorce had "nothing to do" with Wilson's allegations.
"They have been living separate lives since last year but wanted to give this space and time for their children to be OK with this before the news came out and they got all this attention," a source told US Weekly.
However, another source told The Sun, "Rebel's book was a catalyst in Isla deciding to announce this to the world; she's got her own career and reputation to worry about. Those close to her said it was starting to get embarrassing with all of the allegations that were spilling out of Rebel's book. So she felt as though it was the right thing to do to inform everyone of their decision."
Despite the couple's efforts to "battle to make things work for the sake of their family," they ultimately decided to split in 2023. "This decision wasn't taken lightly and they remain incredibly close - there's still a lot of love there," a source told The Sun.
In their joint statement, Fisher and Cohen emphasized their desire for privacy, stating, "We have always prioritized our privacy, and have been quietly working through this change." They also expressed their shared "devotion and love for [their] children" and asked for the public to respect their family's wish for privacy during this time.
Baron Cohen, who is Jewish and uses Hebrew for his iconic character Borat, has been an outspoken critic of the role of social media in spreading antisemitism. The actor, who won a Golden Globe for his performance in "Borat," has seen the film gross more than $260 million worldwide.
As the couple navigates their divorce and the public scrutiny that comes with it, the impact of Wilson's allegations on their decision to announce their split remains a topic of speculation. While the exact details of their divorce filing remain unclear, the end of their 20-year relationship marks a significant change for one of Hollywood's most beloved couples.
